Fall Pumpkin Cider Bread

2 cups fresh pressed apple cider from your local orchard
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon mulling spices
1 cup canned or fresh homemade pumpkin puree from the pumpkin patch
2 large fresh eggs from the chicken coop
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a saucepan combine the apple cider, cinnamon stick, and mulling spices. Boil the mixture until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup and let it cool. In a bowl whisk the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, brown sugar, orange zest, and the cool reduced cider. Into a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, mace, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Add the chopped walnuts, and stir the batter until it is just combined together. Transfer the batter to a well-buttered 8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Bake the bread in the middle of your preheated 350°F. oven for 1 hour, or until your toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the bread pan.

Makes 1 loaf