Still Craving Autumn

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I don’t like Summer. There. My shameful secret is out. I don’t like tank tops (if you had my body, you wouldn’t either 😛 ) or shorts, I don’t like laying in the sun (I prefer no wrinkles and no invasive surgeries to cut out skin cancer) dripping sweat to obtain a skin color that isn’t what I was born with. I don’t like mosquitoes and I don’t like opening my back door on a Summer night only to have 3,897 bugs fly in the house and into my hair while I screech like a three year old who has just been shown a clown picture.

I DO however like beaches or pools and I love to grill out. But then I do that in January because I’m weird that way and unfortunately, until I can win the lottery and build a house with a very very large heated pool, I can only swim during those hot months. Darn it all anyway.

I like Autumn. I also like Winter but I KNOW that’s strange so I won’t ruin my rep too much here.  I like shorter days and longer nights. I like the smell of a wood burning fireplaces (gas logs are the devil and should be banned from the face of the earth). I like sweaters and cozy blankets to cover up with as I sit with my family in the nice warm house watching TV; preferably Christmas specials like The Grinch or Charlie Brown. I like soups and stews and fresh baked breads. I love anything made with pumpkin or cranberries and anything that smells spicy and…well… Autumnish.

I like this bread. I found the original recipe somewhere on line years back and when I made it, it was dry and heavy and just not a lot of flavor. So I played with it. Because that’s what I do. 😛 And now it is sweet and moist and bursting with the flavors of Autumn. Pumpkin and cranberry sauce and spices all meld together into a bread that tastes of Fall and football games; fireplaces and steaming cups of hot cocoa shared with those you love. It’s one of my favorite quick breads and it is oh so easy and gives you something that tastes amazing. So give this a try and then close your eyes and imagine that it’s NOT 90 degrees outside. And yes; this really IS the worlds most awesome. I took a poll. 😛 No, btw, it’s not a typo. There are no eggs in this. Yet it is still incredibly moist.

Worlds Most Awesome Pumpkin Cranberry Quick Bread

  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 2/3 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract
  • 1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
  • 1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling; just pureed pumpkin)
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease two 9 inch loaf pans.
  3. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients thoroughly.
  4. In second large bowl combine all wet ingredients; mix thoroughly.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients. Mix just until thoroughly combined. Do not over mix as this will cause tough bread with lots of little peek a boo holes all throughout it.
  6. Bake at 350 for approximately 60 minutes or until sharp knife inserted in center comes out clean. If necessary, cover lightly with foil during the last 20 minutes to prevent the edges from burning.
  7. Let cool in pans for ten minutes then turn out onto racks to finish cooling.
  8. This is yummy spread with cream cheese or, like I like it, with a ton of butter. But it’s also so good that leftover a couple of days later, at room temp is still pretty awesome.

 

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63 thoughts on “Still Craving Autumn”

  1. This does look incredibly moist and I have pumpkin and cranberry on hand! I would like to eat and dream of a winter wonderland, nice suggestion.
    I am ready to unpack my sweaters and get some wood for the fireplace! I know there are some people saying Boo Hoo no more summer..but I am not in that circle.

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    • I have recipes that I use for all three versions; plain pumpkin, this one and plain cranberry. As well as a sweet potato bread that is completely wonderful! Let me know if you like this if you try it Erin. 🙂

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  3. I’m so glad I’m not the only one who loves fall and winter. I’ve been in a total fall-food mood recently with plans to make something with pumpkin this week, and a holiday-ish dinner this weekend! lol! Your bread looks so incredible! Love it!

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    • Ummmm… erhmmm…..hmmmm. Love you darlin’

      F Wife, I’m glad I’M not the only one lol. I see everyone still posting Summery dishes and I feel rather foolish with my “lets pretend it’s cool out” recipes but I can’t help myself hehe

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  5. I love cranberry pumpkin bread too, Janet. I live in Florida where it has just been SO hot. Fall is my favorite season and I can’t wait for it to get here! I can’t wait to put up Halloween decorations and of course, to make a lot of yummy things with pumpkin!!

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    • Stephanie, my 2nd oldest son and his wife live near St. Pete and while they are both Summer fiends who love the heat, even they have mentioned how hot it can get there. I feel for you.

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    • Thanks Cassie. I am the same way and I love that this uses canned pumpkin and cranberries cause then I can make it any time of year. 🙂

      Mine too Mike. The colors, the scents, all of it just makes Autumn so amazing.

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  9. I don’t do the shorts, tank tops or swimsuit thing for the same reason as you, but I do prefer summer to winter simply because I like things opened up. I like walking outside without having to put on a coat, driving in the car with the window down, going to bed with the sound of crickets and cicadas serenading me. Plus, I hate snow.

    For a bit of that bread, I’ll change my mind though.

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    • MC, I love walking outside too. I love warm breezes and all the things that go with Summer when it’s NOT 352 degrees in the shade lol. Living in KY, the heat can be pretty unbearable at times.

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  10. I’m not ready for summer to be over. Mostly as I love my new grill so very much. But I am like you, fluffy people don’t like bathing suits. Although I wear tank tops daily but the horse doesn’t seem to care what I look like. Lol! I love this recipe. It looks so moist and when I read there is no eggs I had to pick myself off the floor. Great job.

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    • Oooo, we are praying to get a new grill soon and I am looking forward to that because like I said, I’ll grill in January 😛

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    • HA!!! Me too Lindsey. My husband and I found a great Amazon monthly subscription on organic canned pumpkin last year and stocked up for a handful of months on flats of it. 😀

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  12. Janet….I like summer. But unlike most…I’m not terribly sorry to see it go. Autumn is my favorite time of year….and not just because my birthday is in the fall! I was just thinking about fall baking today and what I was most excited to start baking with is cranberries! I love breads and your pumpkin/cranberry beauty looks delish! : )

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  13. I like that bread! I enjoy fall, but I LOVE summer! In this – you and I are polar opposites! I like shorts, tank tops and flip-flops! I do, however, wear SPF 70 every day because I am SO pale! I cook out in January, but in Florida – that’s usually not so bad. Winter – to me – is torture! I cannot abide being cold! ….but I love Christmas Specials and listen to Christmas music all year long.

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    • Love ya Ann, but I’m more than happy to be your opposite in this case lol. I love aspects of Summer but as a whole, no way. Were I able to choose a state to live in with a 6 month Winter or a six month Summer, the Winter would win 😛

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  14. I love the fall also, it’s my favorite season. Sadly, I feel like it keeps getting shorter and shorter each year! One of my favorite parts of summer: pumpkins! I need to try out this recipe, thanks for sharing!

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  15. This looks like a really yummy quick bread! And has all the elements I like, I can’t wait for autumn either, it’s my favorite time of year. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe =]

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    • Thanks Free Spirit! 🙂
      It does seem that way sometimes doesn’t it Kaitlin? Like the hot seasons are getting longer. Hope you like the recipe! 🙂

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  22. I know I didn’t miss commenting on something that contains pumpkin, in fact I clearly remember saying I would try making it myself.

    You killin’ my comments? Huh, huh!

    Sounds great. I love anything pumpkin. I wish I could find the recipe for this pumpkin ravioli I had a few years ago in a restaurant. If I could figure out where that chef went to, I’d hunt him down.

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    • Nope, no killing comments. You did say that. You even said that you might try making it yourself and not plead for Gary to make it. 😛 Buttttt….. that was when my blog messed up with the weird blue streak through it and I had to kill the post and re-do it, thus losing the comments form the first version 😀

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  26. Fall us definitely my favorite season – fall flavors included =)

    This bread sounds delicious, and when I start stockpiling cranberries, I’ll definitely be trying this out!

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    • Ahhh, but you don’t NEED to stockpile cranberries Peggy; it uses readily available all year round canned cranberry sauce.

      Me too Val, me too!

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  27. Hehe, I’m so glad I found this blog. I love your writing style, you’re very funny 🙂
    I have to say, I love summer despite all those drawbacks you’ve so eloquently written about. But every time I think I’m a summer person, I have a revelation that I love winter, probably a lot more.
    There’s something about it, the cosiness and the good food that draws me in and makes me really look forward to winter. It gets to the end of August (i.e. right now) and I’m positively gasping for change, and willing the chilly months to get a move on, because I want to open my Christmas presents!
    😀 I love the recipe, I’m going to give this a try in the next couple of weeks.

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    • Hi Carla! I’m glad you found my blog too! And yep, thee is just something about Autumn isn’t there? Even for those of you who love the hotter months.

      Hope to see you here again and please let me know how you liked the recipe!

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  30. Hi Janet! The bread looks amazing! I LOVE summer – but I’m as pale as a ghost…I’m not an outdoorsy girl. I wear shorts and flip-flops inside. I also grill in January….but I do not like winter. Can we still be friends?

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  31. Love pumpkin and the addition of cranberry makes it even feel a bit Christmasy, too! Great for the cooler days with a slice of this moist, warm bread. Talking of warm – it’s 30°C in Paris today! Really weird weather and a bit topsy turvy: we’re having our late summer now in Autumn!

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    • Wow! You ARE getting a late Summer there aren’t you Jill? It’s pretty chilly here right now… definite sweater weather.

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  34. Janet, I am totally with you! I love summer, but I never get as excited for anything as I do when I see the first fall leaves change color. And you might as well embrace the snow, it’s not going anywhere, but snuggling up with a cozy blanket watching the Grinch is a great distraction when it comes!

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