Pumpkin Bread (you're welcome)

I promised last year to share my pumpkin spice cupcake recipe and never did..(why that's still lingering in my mind I'll never know) anyways, now I don't know where it is and that depresses me.  SO I would be remiss if I did not share this one (to make up for last year, of course) and because it's just that worth sharing.  Make this and you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups canned pumpkin
• 1 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups sugar

Directions:  Sift all dry ingredients.  

Combine all liquids and slowly add to dry ingredients stirring all the time until smooth.

Add nuts/raisins if desired.  


Add entire contents of the bag.. do it.

Grease pans.  Bake 350.

*so those are the original directions.  Not very explanatory so I figured out baking them at 350 for 38 minutes all together was *perfect*.  In my oven though- check them after 25 minutes with a toothpick or thin knife and every 8 mins or so after that so you don't over bake.  I bought small gift-size loaf pans and ended up filling all 5 of them 3/4 of the way full as well as a regular bread loaf pan 1/2 way full.  So this recipe makes A LOT!  

BUT WAIT there's more! (;  My mom gave me this great sugar crumb topping to add:

• 1 Tbls Flour
• 5 Tbls brown sugar
• 1 Tbls melted butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon

(double this mixture though (maybe triple it..i LOVE crumb topping)!  I used all of the above measurements on just the 5 small loafs and made a whole new batch and ALL of that went on our big loaf.  It's mighty tasty.)
And finally....
 (your helper should be happy at this point)

Dig in.