Molasses Spice Cranberry Pecan Pumpkin Muffins & Bread with almond flour

This morning, I panicked when I couldn’t find my pumpkin bread recipe and swore at my first chance I would post it here where I would never lose it again–and other people might benefit! Here’s the standard recipe with some of the myriad variations I enjoy...

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two medium or one large loaf pan; I use one medium pan and make 12 muffins also.

In one bowl combine the dry ingredients; in a second combine the wet ones.

Combine DRY ingredients until well mixed:

3 1/2 cups flour (I use 1 cup almond flour, 2 cups whole wheat, 1 cup flax meal; if you use much more than 1 cup almond flour, the bread is too crumbly).

1 1/2 sugar (I prefer 1 cup unpacked brown sugar plus 1/2 cup molasses and sometimes a little honey too which I add to the wet ingredients)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I usually add 1/2 tsp each cloves, ginger and nutmeg; today I added cardamom for a special treat)

Combine WET ingredients until well mixed

4 eggs, whisked briskly by hand

1/2 cup molasses (and/or honey if you like especially if you reduced the amount of sugar above: OPTIONAL)

1 can pumpkin (16 oz, whole solid packed)

1/2 cup melted butter (or vegetable oil)

Before combining the wet with the dry, be sure your pans are ready and toast on a baking sheet for 3-5 minutes until glistening and deeper brown:

1 cup pecans or other nutmeats (toasting isn’t required but I prefer it; pecans are best but pine nuts are wonderful too!)

Combine wet with dry in as few gentle motions as possible; over stirring makes them tougher and gives them tunnels. Add the toasted pecans and

1-2 cups dried cranberries (or other dried fruit)

Fill muffin cups about 2/3s full (I use the small glass cup which I used to melt the butter). Bake in the preheated oven at 350 degrees; check muffins by inserting a toothpick at 20 minutes. If the toothpick comes out clean, they are done. Check the bread at 60 minutes; it often takes up to 70 minutes. Cool on a rack then remove from pans.