Mom's Pumpkin Bread

This week, I'm excited to have a guest baker on the blog. Drum roll please.... my Mom! My mom came in to town a couple weeks ago for a visit and while she was here, we did a little baking. Mom brought this recipe up with her from Arizona, and we agreed that fall in the Pacific Northwest is the absolute best time and place to bake some pumpkin bread.

Mom’s Pumpkin Bread

1 ⅔ c. Flour

¼ t. Baking powder

1 t. Baking soda

¾ t. Salt

½ t. Cinnamon

½ t. Nutmeg

½ t. Pumpkin pie spice

⅓ c. Shortening

1 ⅓ c. Sugar

½ t. Vanilla

2 Eggs

1 c. Canned Pumpkin

⅓ c. Water

⅓ c. salted pepitas (or shelled small pumpkin seeds)

Mix together all the dry ingredients (first 7) and set aside. Cream together the sugar, shortening, and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, until mixed in. Add the pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients in 4 increments, alternating with water. When completely mixed, pour into a loaf pan. Sprinkle the pepitas on top, and bake at 350* for 50-60 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.