Pumpkin Prune Bread

Extended Family Christmas Gifts-- 2009
In fall 2009, I created Pumpkin Prune Bread.  Mostly I used pumpkin instead of oil and made changed to the spices.  It turned out well, and it was delicious enough to proclaim it a seasonal tradition and make them for Christmas gifts.  Yesterday I made it again, but made even more changes to the recipe.  Without further ado, here is 2010's Pumpkin Prune Bread recipe:

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 cups pastry wheat flour
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
(about) 2 cups chopped prunes

Mix together sugars, eggs, and pumpkin.  In another mixing bowl, combine flours, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda* and salt. Add the vanilla with the buttermilk^.  Alternately pour in a third of the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture, then add a third buttermilk in the pumpkin mixture until all incorporated.  Stir in chopped prunes.  Pour the batter into two bread pans and bake at 350 degrees from 40 to 50 minutes. 

 

* The original recipe calls for 1 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp. baking soda.  I read the recipe wrong while I quickly jot down notes (not the full instructions...), so I just added 1 tsp of baking soda.

^ I didn't have buttermilk in the house, so I made my own.  Simply measure 4-1/2 tsp of white vinegar in a measuring cup and add 1 cup milk.  Stir.  Let sit for 15 minutes.  You can use right away or store in the fridge until needed.  Courtesy of Mr. Lagasse of the Food Network Channel.