Molasses Pumpkin Loaf with Candied Ginger

I found a little pie pumpkin (not pumpkin pie) in my cold room from last summer's harvest. After roasting it and making pumpkin puree I checked my pantry for more inspiration. With lots of raisins and candied ginger in stock I turned to my favourite cookbook, Chef Google. A quick search online yielded an interesting recipe from Suburbia Unwrapped. With a few tweaks to her recipe it was ready for the oven.

I am using spelt flour but all purpose would work equally well. If your raisins have dried out a bit, like mine were, plump them in very hot water for 15 minutes before adding to the batter. Be sure to drain them well first.

Molasses Pumpkin Loaf with Candied Ginger

Wet Ingredients
 3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/2 c. fancy molasses
1 1/2 c. pumpkin purée

Dry Ingredients
3 1/2 c. spelt flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground nutmet
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 c. raisins
1/2 c. coarsely chopped candied ginger

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Prepare two loaf pans by lightly oiling or buttering the insides.

Add all of the wet ingredients to the bowl of your stand mixer. Fitted with the whisk attachment beat until foamy and all are well combined.

Add all of the dry ingredients to a separate bowl. Whisk to fully incorporate all the ingredients.

Now switch to using the paddle attachment with your stand mixer. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat on medium low until incorporated. Add the remainder of the dry ingredients and mix again until incorporated. Add raisins and candied ginger and mix.

Pour the batter into two prepared loaf pans. Bake at 350 F for approximately 50 minutes. Gently touch the top of the loaf. If it springs back after gentle pressure it is cooked.

Remove from the oven and let rest in the pans for five or ten minutes. Run a table knife around the sides of the cake in the pan and then invert the pan on a cooling rack. Cool about 15 minutes before slicing (if you can wait that long). Thickly slice and serve. This loaf freezes well. After fully cooled, slice and package in freezer bags. Will keep up to three months.