Ingredients

(from America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book)

Be sure to buy unsweetened canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is preseasoned and sweetened. This recipe makes a fairly stiff batter that requires a bit of stirring to come together.

2 cups (10 oz) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 (15-oz) can pumpkin (see note above)
1 cup (7 oz) sugar
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (4 oz) pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse (optional)
1 cup (5 oz) dried cranberries (optional)

Instructions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 - inch loaf pan.

2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ginger together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the pumpkin, sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth. Gently fold the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined (do not overmix). Gently fold in the pecans and cranberries (if using). The batter will be very thick.

3. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 45 to 55 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

4. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool for 1 hour before serving.

For Muffins:
12 muffin pan - use about half the time
24 (mini) muffin pan - about 15 minutes
Miniature loaves (2 cup pans) - about 25 minutes - makes mini loaves