The transition of a tradition {pumpkin bread}
You may wonder how the subject of pumpkin bread is landing on a yoga blog. I’m about to tell you…
Every year at Christmas, for many years in a row, I would receive an annual package in the mail filled with gifts and treats from my mom. And every year, for many years in a row, that package would include a loaf of her homemade pumpkin bread.
I looked forward to it every year! And usually by the time it arrived we were already reaching our limit of sweets and baked goods for the season, so I had my own annual tradition around my mom’s pumpkin bread.
When it arrived I would slice it and we’d enjoy a piece with our morning coffee. The rest would go into the freezer and we’d enjoy it, a piece or two at a time after the holidays.
December 2012 was the first Christmas after my mom’s passing and the first year, in many years, where there was no pumpkin bread. Since she’d only been gone for a few months, I hadn’t had a chance to get my hands on her pumpkin bread recipe, so I searched the internet and found one for myself.
That year I baked loaves of pumpkin bread with my newfound recipe and sent them to my siblings, step-dad and grandma. I did it as a way to honor and remember the tradition my mom had begun (it has since become my own annual offering).
The following year I did find her recipe but something odd had happened. I actually loved the recipe I had found (and modified to my liking) better than my mom’s recipe.
Gulp.
You know how recipes can feel sacred? Like - my mom always made it this way and therefore I must follow those exact steps or I’m disgracing her sacred tradition.
Sigh. The things we guilt trip ourselves over.
The reason this subject is coming up for me is because the holidays are approaching and I’m gearing up to bake many loaves of pumpkin bread, but also because I’m getting ready to lead another round of Yoga for Grief and when I lead Yoga for Grief I think about my mom. A lot.
There are many stages of grief, and the ones I tend to be challenged by are guilt and regret. I should have done this, or I shouldn’t have said that. I wish I’d been more tolerant of my mom. Maybe I should just use her original pumpkin bread recipe…
That last one? Still use her recipe? Nope.
This is my life and my holiday baking and my gift. I love that I’m continuing her tradition of baking for people I love, in my own unique way because that’s what I’m here for.
If you want the best ever pumpkin bread recipe, I’m going to share mine below (sorry, not sorry, Mom) and you can see for yourself how delicious it is!
Deb’s {Best Ever} Pumpkin Bread
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs (at room temp)
1 cup melted butter (melt in microwave and let cool)
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon (heavy pour) vanilla
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 7x3” loaf pans.*
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter, water, vanilla and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended (don’t overmix!). Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for 40-50 minutes. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
* Or bake 5 mini-loaves, 35-40 minute bake time. Or, 3 dozen muffins, 20-24 minute bake time.
I’m excited for holiday baking this year, and I’m excited to share with the people I love. I’m grateful that I had a mom who set that example, and she set the bar high, quite frankly. And I am so very grateful for my yoga practice (especially the lessons from Yoga for Grief) that help to validate, encourage and celebrate my own unique style.
PS: The secret is melted butter instead of oil. You’re welcome.