Pumpkin Bread

This moist, flavorful bread is perfect for autumn. Vary the sweetener to your taste. The lesser amount of maple syrup makes a bread that goes well with soup or salad; the greater amount of sweetener makes it more of a dessert.

2 eggs

1/3 to 1/2 cup maple syrup

1 1/4 cups mashed cooked pumpkin

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat or spelt flour

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Oil a loaf pan or 8-inch square baking pan. Beat eggs and maple syrup together until smooth. Beat in pumpkin and oil. Stir baking soda into yogurt or buttermilk. Sift flour and spice together. Stir flour mixture and baking soda mixture into pumpkin mixture. Fold in nuts.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake about 75 to 90 minutes for loaf or 45 minutes for square pan, until tester inserted in center of cake comes out dry. Cool completely before slicing.

Makes 16 servings