I just had my arm twisted to make another batch of this, so I thought I’d share the recipe here. This is a HUGE favorite with my family and friends. I was given the original recipe a little over 20 years ago, but it has been altered a fair bit since then!
4 cups flour
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup cooking oil
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup COLD water
4 large eggs
1 can pumpkin
3 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
(optional) 1 cup raisins
(optional) 2/3 cup nuts (walnuts, pecans)
Blend all dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Make a hole in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the cooling oil, applesauce, honey, milk, vanilla, pumpkin and water. Blend well. Then add eggs one at a time, beating between each one. When everything is blended smooth, pour batter into 3 greased loaf pans and bake for 1 hour (or until broomstraw comes clean) in a preheated 350* oven. To prevent overbrowning of top, cover the loaf pans with a sheet of tinfoil after 20 minutes. Do not cover tightly since it rises!