Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

It seems like forever since I have posted to the blog. Time as we know is all relative so today's definition of forever is a little more than three weeks. So why the interruption? Well, packing up the east coast farmhouse and relocating back to the Midwest would be the simple answer to that question. The thousand mile drive back to the Midwest is now behind me, however, the unpacking is (ugh) still before me. The good news is that I have made enough progress unpacking and reorganizing that I am now able to get back to cooking and baking. Not surprisingly, putting away all of my cooking and baking tools took precedence over the unpacking of my clothes. But even though there is still some unpacking to do, I am happy to say "the blog is ba-a-ack"!

There are so many things I love about the fall I wouldn't even know where to begin to list them all. But amongst those things are the cooler temperatures as they are perfect for baking. With Halloween a day away and Thanksgiving just weeks away, I thought I would 're-christen' the Midwest kitchen by baking something using, what else, but pumpkin puree. The pumpkin pie recipe could wait a few weeks but the Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting could not. Because who does not love cake? Particularly one having a cream cheese frosting. If you are one of those non-cake loving people, maybe it's because you have never eaten really good cake. Because seriously, what other reason could there be?

I knew I wanted to make a pumpkin cake that didn't taste like a pumpkin loaf made into a cake. So when I discovered the Spiced Pumpkin Cake recipe and looked at the list of ingredients, I knew this was the one. In addition to pumpkin puree, it had crushed pineapple, coconut and dried currants in it. In some ways you might say this is a pumpkin version of either a Hummingbird or a Carrot Cake. An easier and simpler version as you don't need a mixer to make the cake, you only need it when making the frosting. And who doesn't like easy and simple when making a cake? Particularly when the outcome makes everyone think it was just the opposite!

All of the dry ingredients are sifted together and set aside in a medium sized bowl. This will be the bowl you will mix the batter in so choose your bowl size wisely.

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, the oil and vanilla are mixed in with the already lightly beaten eggs. Once mixed it is set aside as well.

In the third bowl (okay, maybe using a mixer would be easier as now you have at least three bowls to wash), the pumpkin puree, coconut, pineapple and currants are mixed together until combined. The recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups of pumpkin puree which is slightly less than the puree in a 15 ounce can. Remember to buy the pumpkin puree and not the pumpkin pie filling for this recipe as they are not the same and not interchangeable.

To the flour mixture, you first add the egg mixture blending with a wooden spoon until just combined. Last but not least, you add the combined pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined. It is important to not over mix this cake batter.

In two prepared 9 inch cake pans you will equally divide the spiced pumpkin cake batter. Because I like my layers to be perfectly even I weigh the filled cake pans on a scale. The payout for this attention to detail comes not only when you are assembling and frosting the cake, but when you are serving it.

The cakes bake for 35 to 40 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. The baking time for me was 40 minutes, but I began testing at 35 minutes. The baked cakes are placed on a wire rack and allowed to cool or come to room temperature. 

While the cakes are cooling you can assemble the frosting. Sixteen ounces of room temperature cream cheese are whipped in a standing mixer for approximately three minutes or until smooth. The room temperature butter is added and the mixed for at least two minutes. The sifted confectionary sugar (this is a step you don't want to skip or else you will have lumps in your frosting) and vanilla and added in. The entire mixture is beaten for another three minutes or until smooth. The frosting can be covered and refrigerated until you are ready to use.

In the event that you do not refrigerate your frosting, you will need to refrigerate the first frosted layer so it will set up. This frosting is very creamy and the refrigeration ensures that it will not come spilling out when the second layer is placed on top. I refrigerated the first frosted layer for about 30 minutes. Note: Half of the frosting is used for the middle layer and the other half for the top layer.

I like using a pastry bag when frosting a cake, but depending on the look you are going for an offset spatula will work too. Because the layers of the cake are such a beautiful color I didn't frost the sides of the cake. Once frosted the cake is returned to the refrigerator. Remove the cake from the refrigerator at least 30 to 40 minutes before serving.

Recipe
Spiced Pumpkin Layer Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (slight adaptation to the Spiced Pumpkin Cake recipe created by Diane Morgan in 'The New Thanksgiving Table')

Ingredients
Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons Saigon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup canola (or vegetable oil)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 cup lightly packed sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup canned crushed pineapple (undrained)
1/3 cup dried currants

Frosting
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups confectionary sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare two 9 inch cake pans (lined with parchment paper and lightly buttered/floured).
2. In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix in granulated sugar. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil and vanilla. Set aside.
4. Combine pumpkin puree, coconut, crushed pineapple and currants. Set aside.
5. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir using a wooden spoon until just combined.
6. Add the pumpkin mixture and stir using a wooden spoon until combined.
7. Equally divide batter between the two 9 inch cake pans.
8. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
9. Allow cakes to cool on a wire rack until cool to the touch.
10. To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese on medium speed in a mixer using a paddle attachment for approximately 3 minutes or until smooth. Add butter and beat for at least 2 minutes until combined. Beat in confectionary sugar and vanilla for approximately 3 minutes or until fluffy. Frosting can be chilled while you are waiting for the cakes to cool.
11. Spread half of the frosting on the first layer of the cake using a pastry bag or offset spatula. Refrigerate cake for approximately 20 minutes to set the frosting.
12. Top with second layer of cake with remaining frosting using either a pastry bag or offset spatula. Return cake to refrigerator to set the frosting.
13. Remove from refrigerator 30 to 40 minutes before serving. 

I had wondered why packing and unpacking can be such hard work, but after giving it some thought I came up with a theory. When packing up, most of us pack pretty much everything instead of deciding which things could be given away, sold, donated or throw away. So when the unpacking process occurs we wonder why we didn't give away, sell, donate or throw away more things. Okay for those of us with thing attachments the packing/unpacking process is hard work, but for those of you who are at the other end of the continuum packing is probably a piece of cake! 

The reacclimation process to the midwest kitchen has been enlightening (or should I say a little disheartening) in so far as I realized I could probably equip not one, not two but three kitchens. It would be an understatement to say I have accumulated too many cooking and baking tools, too many dishes and too much glassware. I mean how many cupcake pans, mixers, rolling pins, measuring spoons, measuring cups, baking pans, cake pans, plates, and glasses does one really need? I could blame Martha Stewart for the influence she has had on me, but that wouldn't be fair to her or me. I guess I decided at some point I needed the things I have. Because when unpacking and reorganizing I painfully realized there were some things I had too many of and some things I should have just thrown away when I had the chance. Because wherever I live, I seem to create a rather large carbon footprint. The good news is it is never too late to change. Now that I have had this epiphany (step one in the change process), I am pretty sure I know what I need to do next. More specifically I know what I don't need to do (i.e., shop). Can hardly for the spring yard sale!

Four Cheese Spinach Stuffed Shells

Originally this was a three cheese spinach stuffed shells dish, but then my childhood best friend said she adds crumbled goat cheese to the top of her stuffed shells. Because I too think goat cheese makes almost any dish better, this went from being a three to a four cheese spinach stuffed shells dish. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, right? So after making this recipe change, I don't think I will ever go back to the three cheese version as the tanginess of the melted goat cheese on top of the melted mozzarella makes this an insanely delicious dish.

Unless I know someone has a specific food allergy, I don't always share what is in the dish I am serving until after they have tasted it. So when someone says 'What's in this?', I usually say 'I will tell you after dinner'. This may sound terribly wicked, but my experience of 'the taste first, tell second' always seems to surprise (in almost always a good way) those who had thought they didn't like something (goat cheese being one of them) or those who didn't think the combination of ingredients would taste good together.

What I love about this recipe is that you can assemble it the night before or earlier in the day. So by time dinner comes all that is left to do is make the salad, cut up some bread, and put the stuffed shells in the oven. While the shells are cooking, you are free to just relax enjoy the appetizers and wine with your friends and not be a slave in the kitchen while everyone else is having fun (not that cooking isn't fun, it's just a different kind of fun grazing and chatting with friends).

I am not a complete purist when I am cooking. Oh yes, I have become a little obsessive about using only fresh eggs (living in a town where many raise chickens and sell their eggs is nirvana) and I love only whole milk ricotta in recipes. However, when it comes to recipes requiring cooked spinach, well this is where I swing to the other end of the continuum and substitute frozen chopped spinach. I don't think I could live without Bird's Eye frozen chopped spinach, and thanks to them I don't have to take the extra step and cook fresh spinach for this recipe. But for those of you who are purists, by all means cook down some fresh spinach for this recipe!

With the weather continuing to be mild, my herbs are still thriving. I don't why it is that I get such a thrill out of going out my back door and going over to the herb garden to cut fresh herbs. Maybe it is because my green thumb is limited to growing herbs or maybe it is because living in the farmhouse I somehow feel I am channeling my inner farm girl. Whatever the reason, the chopped fresh parsley and basil in the filling make it even more flavorful. And other than garlic, I love the taste of fresh basil in pasta dishes with a red sauce base.

All of the filling ingredients are mixed in large bowl. Once you make the filling, you can chill slightly if you would like. If you are not using a pastry bag to fill the shells, chilling makes it a little easier if filling using a spoon. I usually know something is going to be good when the uncooked version of it is also good. I have been known to take a few tastes of this filling when assembling the recipe.

A one pound box of jumbo pasta shells is cooked al dente or for about 7 to 9 minutes. The shells should  still retain their shape and are that combination of slightly tender/still firm. The cooked shells are rinsed, drained and then placed on a baking sheet you have added olive to. How much olive oil? About 3 to 4 tablespoons. I like to the rub the shells in the olive oil to ensure they don't dry out while I am filling them as well as to prevent them from sticking together.

The 9 x 12 baking dish is first layered with a little more than a cup of marinara sauce. Then the stuffed shells are placed on top.

I find it easier to fill the shells with a pastry bag. If you don't have a pastry bag, you can you a large ziploc bag and then cut a 1/2 inch off of one of the corners.

Once the shells are filled you pour 3 to 4 cups of marinara over them. The amount of sauce you pour is somewhat of a personal preference. Just be careful not to drown the shells in sauce. The grated mozzarella is layered next, followed by the crumbled goat cheese. I know some of you might be thinking, goat cheese, really? And all I will say is yes, really goat cheese. If you don't trust me, you should trust the source of this inspiration. The four cheese stuffed shells are baked for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cheeses have melted, are lightly browned and the filling is cooked through. Allow the dish to set for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe

Four Cheese Spinach Stuffed Shells (inspired from many sources)

Ingredients

Filling

2 (15 ounce size) containers of whole milk ricotta cheese

1 1/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 Tablespoons chopped Italian (flat) parsley

3 Tablespoons chopped basil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 large egg yolks

1 box of frozen spinach (thawed and drained)

1 pound box of jumbo shells

1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

4 to 6 ounces of goat cheese

Marinara Sauce 

(homemade or jarred. For jarred I love Rao's Marinara Sauce for its' taste and convenience. Recommend using the 2 pound jar.)

Directions

1. Cook pasta shells in large pot of boiling salted water until slightly tender but still firm (about 7 to 9 minutes).
2. Drain pasta shells and place on an olive oiled baking sheet. Toss shells in olive oil so they don't stick together. Cool slightly.
3. Combine all filling ingredients and set aside.
4. On the bottom of 9 x 12 baking dish, spoon 1 1/4 cups of marinara sauce on the bottom.
5. Using a pastry bag or tablespoon, fill each of the shells with the filling and place on top of sauce.
6. Top finished stuffed shells with 3 to 4 cups of marinara sauce over the top of the shells.
7. Sprinkle grated mozzarella followed by crumbled goat cheese.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is lightly browned and filling in shells is cooked through.
9. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Note: The dish can be assembled the day before or earlier in the day. Cover with plastic wrap and keep chilled until ready to cook. If chilled overnight, allow to sit out at least 30 minutes before baking.

I have packing to do and all I want to do is try to capture some of the colors and images of a New England autumn. And even though the weather wasn't cooperative this past weekend (rainy, gray and gloomy), I found other things to distract my attention from the task of packing. I have convinced myself I can get it all done in two days. An since I invited the couple who own the farmhouse I have been living in for dinner this week, I can't possibly start packing (who knows what dishes, napkins, glassware pots, and pans I will need). Maybe having a midweek dinner party was a subliminal delay tactic on my part but I wanted to make a meal for the two people who have 'taken care' of me (so to speak) over the last fifteen months. For me, there is something so much more personal about making a meal than in taking someone out to dinner (and I live in a one restaurant town with a pretty good restaurant) to thank them for a kindness.

And I have been the recipient of a great many kindnesses from this couple (who are in their 80s and who I consider to be some of the hardest working people I know). The portion of their property my house sits on is about two acres. I can't even tell you how many acres their house sits on. But let's just say many many. And at least once a week and sometimes twice from spring through fall, Walter cuts the grass for both houses. While I have been spoiled by not having to do this yardwork (other than keeping all of my flower and herb beds weed free and mulched), I have felt just a little guilty that this work was being done for me. Throughout the seasons, I would often come home to find some freshly picked berries or vegetables on my back table. And sometimes there would even be a jar of freshly made preserves or a bouquet of flowers from their garden. These would have been left for me by Norma. And the timing of these 'gifts' was almost always uncannily perfect.

In my lifetime I have not lived anywhere where these regular kindnesses were given to me, particularly without the expectation of anything in return. Unbeknownst to them, these simple kindnesses have nurtured my sometimes wounded spirit and brought me great joy. And even though I too have tried to give back, inviting them to dinner in the house that Walter's father built 83 years ago in my last week living in this house is not only what I need to do, it is what I want to do. And compared to all that I have received, it is still only a small, simple gesture of my appreciation both to and for them.

Banana Bread, Version 2

I just couldn't wait for the throw down with my sister, I just couldn't let the ripened bananas go to waste. and I couldn't wait any longer to use the new pumpkin loaf pan my brother-in-law sent me for my birthday. So I had to make a decision. Make another loaf of banana bread using the adapted version of Flour's recipe or listen to my sister and make the recipe she says was perfect. Which turned out to be a recipe she had modified. So I half listened to my sister. I made what I am now calling Banana Bread, Version 2 because, of course, I too had to make my own adaptations.

Why was I so reluctant to listen to my sister? Anyone with a sibling knows the answer to that question, however, beyond the sibling rivalry decisions we make, the written reviews for this recipe on Epicurious were in my opinion 'all over the place'. A few said the banana bread collapsed when it baked. With my week long wait time for bananas to ripen, the last thing I wanted to make was a banana bread that didn't look bakery perfect. But my curiosity for tasting what my sister believed was the perfect banana bread needed to be satisfied. And since the recipe was rather simple and didn't require the use of a mixer, I thought 'okay I'm game, what do I have to lose?' (especially since I was my own judge and jury and if it didn't turn out, no one would be the wiser). The only issue would be coming up with a reasonable explanation for why I did not make this banana bread when pressed by my sister. And reasonable would not be 'our tastes in baked goods are not always in sync' (although that would be mostly true).

I wasn't going to post two banana bread recipes in one week (like how crazy is that). Which meant I taking many photos as I was baking. Just a few to text to my sister (call it a virtual thrown down of sorts). But after baking and tasting this banana bread, I thought you should be the one to decide which banana bread recipe version you want to make. Like version 1, this one was incredibly moist and also had a great denseness to it. I am not certain which one I like better yet. Will have to keep tasting them to see if a clear favorite emerges. Version 2 is definitely easier and requires less ingredients. That, in of itself, could be what influences your decision, especially those of you who subscribe to the 'less is more' way of thinking. Although you might want to make them both to decide for yourself!

And as you can see, this banana bread did not collapse (and I can't explain why that happened to others who have made this recipe although I have some ideas). Making this banana bread in the pumpkin mold from Williams-Sonoma certainly made it look even more beautiful. But I think the pumpkin bread  would also look beautiful made in 9"x 5" loaf pan.

Recipe
Banana Bread, Version 2 (slight adaptation of Aunt Holly's Banana Bread recipe shared on Epicurious)

Ingredients
3 1/2 ripened bananas mashed (or 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas)
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 heaping teaspoon of Saigon cinnamon
3/4 cup toasted and chopped walnuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare a 9" x 5"  baking pan or Williams-Sonoma botanical pumpkin mold and set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, first mix together the banana, butter, vanilla, and egg until blended. Then add all of the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon.
3. Scrap batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
4. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a tester inserted into the bread comes out clean (Hint: if the banana bread springs back when you press lightly on it, it should be done. Just make sure to do this in the middle of the bread).
5. Cool on wire rack for 20 to 30 minutes and then unmold. Slice, serve and savor!
6. Tightly cover the leftovers. Storing the banana bread in the refrigerator will extend its' life. Warm a slice in the microwave or allow to come to room temperature before enjoying.

If you have ever moved you know how much work and stressful it can be. While nothing compares to moving from a house you have lived in for many, many years, moving after living in a house for as little as a year has its' own set of emotions. Sometimes it's not moving from one house to another that causes a little angst, it's moving from one city/town/state/country to another that has a way of tempering with the emotions of change. In less than two weeks (and yes I am counting the days so I can savor each of them), I will be packing up the farm house and heading back to the house in the midwest. Already I am missing things about the east coast town I am living in and I haven't even left yet. I am calling it the 'anticipation of loss' versus calling it the 'thankfulness for having had the time here'. Someday I will get to the thankfulness place, but I am definitely not there yet.

Yet, in spite of living in the farmhouse for a little over a year, it feels as if I have spent more time here. I had a connection to this house and this town the day I moved in. There are people back in the midwest whose vision of me is one best described as 'high maintenance, up town kind of girl'. Guess they could never see or know that I had another side of me (but I knew). Yes, I still like to shop and still like to collect things, but living here has only reaffirmed what I have always known. It is not the size of the house one lives in, it is how one makes a space a home. And over the course of the past fifteen months, it has been nothing less than thrilling to search for the things that would make the farmhouse into a warm, welcoming home. Antique shows (including a trip to Brimfield), antique shops, thrift stores, resale stores, yard sales and, yes of course, Pottery Barn and Williams-Sonoma were the places where I found all that I needed (and of course, I took just a few a things from the midwest home too). My attachment to these furnishings is as much connected to the hunt for them as it is to their simplistic beauty, in how they transformed the farmhouse, as well as my life here and the people who have come into it. But this move back to the midwest means letting go of almost all of these things. While I am trying to tell myself they are just things, this time these 'things' symbolize so much more to me.

Banana Bread

Making banana bread is a lesson in patience, unless of course you are able to find overly ripe bananas at the grocery store. No such luck when I went looking for bananas last week. The only ones I could find were my favorite eating bananas, the ones with peels still a little green. It was all I could not to eat  those bananas this past week and needed to keep reminding myself I was waiting for them to ripen. And the wait was almost 8 eight days. In my world, that is kind of long wait, for making banana bread that is. But as the old adage goes 'some things are worth the wait' (and of course wait time is all relative depending on what it is you desire) and this banana bread was definitely wait worthy.

I had been wanting to make Joanne Chang's famous banana bread recipe ever since I bought her first cookbook, Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery and Cafe. There was just something about the ingredients in her banana bread recipe that seemed like it would be one that was both dense and delicious. While I don't have a real gift for clairvoyance, my prediction on this banana bread was pretty accurate. Flavored with just hint of cinnamon and containing toasted walnuts, this turned out to be a moist, delicious, dense banana bread. The kind that would hold up to butter or cream cheese lathered over it. Yet, regardless if you are a banana bread purist or not, this banana bread will definitely appeal to all taste preferences.

Give me a fresh banana or a piece of great banana bread and I would be happy. For some reason those are the only two ways I will or can consume 'bananas' as I have never liked anything else containing or flavored with bananas. I would rather starve to death than eat a piece of banana cream pie, bananas foster, or banana candy. On the other hand, who knows what I would do for a fresh banana or piece of banana bread.

In almost every banana bread recipe I looked at, they called for the use of 3 to 4 ripe bananas. However, not all bananas are the same size, so there can be quite a difference in the amount of banana one is adding to a recipe. Joanne Chang was the first one to further elaborate on the quantity of bananas used in the recipe. In addition to listing 3 1/2 ripe bananas, she provided a weight measurement (340 grams) as well as the American weight conversion amount (or 1 1/2 cups mashed). From this point forward when making this banana bread, I may allow 3 to 4 bananas to ripen but I will add 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas to the batter.

In going with the 1 1/2 cups option, it ironically turned out to be 3 1/2 of the sized ripened bananas. Whether or not this was a coincidence, I am sticking with cup measurement option. Remember, the riper the bananas the easier it is to mash them. A day or two more of a wait for them to ripen will make a difference. More ripe is better than less ripe.

The dry ingredients are sifted and set aside while the wet ingredients are combined. After the sugar and eggs are mixed together in standing mixer, the canola oil is slowly added (another lesson in patience) so as not to deflate the air incorporated into the egg and sugar mixture. The mashed bananas, vanilla and some creme fraiche are added in for even more flavor.

It surprises me that not all recipes calling for nuts advise they be toasted. But whether or not they do, I always do. Toasting walnuts at 325 degrees for 10 minutes will transform the taste and flavor of the nuts as well as transform whatever it is you baking.

The dry ingredients and toasted walnuts are folded in with a spatula until the flour is fully blended in or said differently, you should not see any streaks of flour in the batter.

On a recent trip up to New Hampshire I bought a new loaf pan, a 10" x 5" one. The pan was christened with this banana bread recipe. Even though it was a non-stick pan, I lined it with parchment paper. The banana bread bakes for almost 75 minutes in a 325 degree oven. I began checking for doneness at 60 minutes, but knew then it needed another 15 minutes. In spite of the long baking time, this is a really moist bread. I just might use this recipe to have a banana bread throw down with my sister. We will definitely need to find some impartial judges for this throw down.

Recipe
Banana Bread (slight adaption of Flour's Famous Banana Bread recipe created by Joanne Chang)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 heaping teaspoon of Saigon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup canola oil
3 1/2 very ripe bananas (or 1 1/2 cups of ripe bananas mashed)
2 Tablespoons of creme fraiche (or you could substitute sour cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cups walnuts, toasted and chopped

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and set aside.
3. Using a whisk attachment in a stand mixer, beat sugar and eggs until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
4. Slowly add canola oil (don't pour in all at once).
5. Add mashed bananas, creme fraiche and vanilla, mixing until combined.
6. Fold in flour mixture and toasted walnuts until thoroughly combined.
7. Pour batter into prepared 10x5 inch parchment paper lined loaf pan.
8. Bake 60 to 75 minutes (check at 60 minutes, but it will most likely take the full 75 minutes). 
9. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 30 minutes before unmolding.
10. Wrapped in plastic wrap the bread will be good for up to 3 days (if it lasts that long) or it can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.

This past weekend I drove up to New Hampshire to meet up with my friend Anne, someone I had not seen in a very, very long time. But neither time or distance has ever affected our ability to just 'pick up where we left off'. She is also one of those rare friends where I feel incredibly comfortable talking about anything and everything with her, even things I may kept only to myself. Whether our lives intersected at some point in another lifetime (yes, I lean toward believing in past lives) or whether we share an unexplainable connection to one another, I have grown and benefited from her friendship, wisdom and insights over the years. 

There are people that come into our lives for a short time and then there are the ones who stay. For me those that remain in my life are those that I consider my true friends, the ones I trust most and the ones I am not afraid to share my thinking with (even when this thinking isn't always rational). The people who come into my life and never leave are the ones I love and care for the most, regardless of the quantity of interactions I have with them. Everyone else in my life is just an acquaintance. 

Regardless of the reason or when someone came into my life, it is longevity in a friendship that I value most. For me it can be (and has been) incredibly painful when friendships are only context dependent. I have had my share of what I call 'false friends' over the course of my lifetime, those who seek to have only their needs met in the friendship, those who become your friend because of the position you hold, or even those who take more than they give. The most significant difference between a real friend and a false friend from my perspective? Well, I guess I believe that in times of conflict or misunderstandings, the real friend is someone who works to resolve and forgive while the false friend is someone who seeks to find fault or uses the conflict to take breaks from the friendship. If I have learned anything over the course of my lifetime, it has been the realization (and reaffirmation) that honesty and trust are the most important qualities in a genuine, in it for the long run friendship. A friendship may not always be about the quantity of interactions, but it is always about the quality of them.

Pumpkin Loaf aka a close Starbuck's version

There are many benefits to what I call living in God's country. Two lane highways; no stop lights; no street lights so one can see the stars perfectly at night; beautiful beaches; a lighthouse; farm and roadside stands selling fresh produce, eggs, and flowers; miles of stone walls surrounding homes and farms; blue hydrangeas dominating the summer landscape; a blueberry farm; an apple orchard; two Christmas tree farms, okay you get the picture. While it is a most picturesque environment, there are a few things that are at least a 20 to 30 minute drive away. The movie theatre; the grocery store; the bookstore; and yes, Starbucks. And even though I live in Dunkin' Donuts country, the closest one is also a 20 minute drive away. Not that 20 minutes is long, but a 40 minute round trip for an iced coffee and piece of pumpkin loaf is pushing it, even for me (little miss willing to drive long distances without packing a lunch).

Not having access to Starbucks would have been no big deal a couple of years ago because I was not a coffee drinker. Probably one of a handful of people in the universe who aren't. But then I discovered iced coffee and what a memorable day that was. Such deliciousness finally came into my life. As an added benefit, my daily caffeine intake changed from the drinking of diet soda to the drinking of iced coffee. In my quest to find the best iced coffee, I tried the ones from Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts and my local coffee shop Coastal Roasters. I liked them all but if I had to choose a favorite, I would first choose the iced coffee from Starbucks, then the one from Coastal Roasters, and last but not least, the iced coffee from Dunkin' Donuts. Living on the east coast in DD country, I would be probably be considered a heretic for this opinion.

In spite of my iced coffee preferences, no one else but Starbucks sells slices of pumpkin loaf. If I was ever to indulge myself in something 'sweet' when ordering an iced coffee, I would always order a slice of the pumpkin loaf. Their pumpkin loaf is moist, not too sweet, and just one piece is enough to satisfy my craving for pumpkin. It is probably a good thing that the closest Starbucks is a 20 minute drive away because I have been able to severely limit my intake of their pumpkin loaf. Until now that is. No, there is not a Starbucks coming closer to where I live. But I recently found (on the internet of all places) a recipe that closely resembles the Starbuck's pumpkin loaf. It isn't exactly the same, but it is pretty gosh darn close as well as pretty gosh darn delicious.

Before making this recipe I must have looked at dozens and dozens of pumpkin bread and pumpkin loaf recipes. Expectedly the proportions of ingredients varied amongst the recipes, however, it was the type and combination of spices that were the most different. Some recipes called for only cinnamon, some included nutmeg, some had a combination of several spices, and some even said they left out spices when the making the bread (yikes). But it was the combination of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice in the Starbuck's like pumpkin loaf version that appealed to my taste preferences. After making this pumpkin loaf for the first time, I loved this spice combination but might even experiment with slightly increasing the amount of spices next time. Maybe.

All of the dry ingredients are blended together in a medium sized bowl and set aside. No sifting is required, but the use of a whisk helps to evenly distribute the dry ingredients.

This pumpkin loaf only takes 3/4 of a cup of pumpkin puree. I didn't think this was going to give it enough pumpkin flavor, but after tasting it, 3/4 of cup was the perfect amount. There is more granulated sugar than brown sugar in this recipe, but it is important to note that the recipe calls for dark brown sugar which adds an ever so slight molasses flavor to the bread.

The moistness for this loaf comes from two ingredients: eggs and vegetable oil. Four large eggs and 3/4 cup of vegetable oil are two of the wet ingredients. The eggs are combined with the sugars and vanilla before the dry ingredients are added. The vegetable oil and pumpkin puree are mixed in last.

This recipe makes one 9x5 inch pumpkin loaf. Even though recipes always say to prepare a loaf pan with butter/flour, I always, always use parchment paper. It makes one's baking life so much easier. My variation to the recipe was adding the sugar and the optional pumpkin seeds to the top of the loaf for added crunch as well as doubling the amount of vanilla. The loaf bakes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 65-70 minutes. It is a dense loaf and checking for doneness is really, really important. If it takes longer than 70 minutes in your oven, don't worry as it is a really moist loaf. And you definitely don't want an undone moist center.

Recipe
Pumpkin Loaf aka a close Starbuck's version (slight variation to a Starbuck's like version of the recipe found on the internet)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup granulated sugar plus additional for sprinkling top of loaf
1/4 cup dark brown sugar firmly packed
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
3/4 cup vegetable oil (I used Crisco)
Optional: about a 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt using a whisk. Set aside.
3. Beat eggs, sugars and vanilla on high speed in a standing mixer (or in a bowl using a hand mixer) for at least 30 seconds.
4. Add dry ingredients to the eggs/sugar mixture and mix until combined.
5. Add pumpkin puree and vegetable oil. Mix until combined.
6. Pour batter into a parchment paper lined 9x5 loaf pan. Bake for 65 to 70+ minutes or until top of loaf is brown and a cake tester is crumb or batter free.
7. Allow the bread to cool.
8. Cut into slices using a serrated knife and enjoy.

I love the taste of pumpkin year round, not only in the fall. Because it is a little harder to find pumpkin puree in the grocery stores in the spring and summer, I have a tendency to stock up on a few cans so I make pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie or even pumpkin bread whenever I have a pumpkin craving. Thankfully the expiration date on the canned pumpkin is about a year out from the date of purchase. I have been known to put canned goods in places where I don't always look so I have thrown out more than my share of pumpkin puree over the years. That's what happens when you sometimes buy 'too' much of any one thing. Or when you can't remember if you did or did not have some in the house. But then in my very active imagination I sometimes think there will be a run on pumpkin puree at the holiday time and if I don't buy a few more cans than I need, well I might be forced to drive 40 minutes round trip to satisfy an off season pumpkin craving.