Wendy's Pumpkin Walnut Bread

'Tis the season! Made a half-recipe tonight. Turned out so well that I'm sorry I didn't have enough pumpkin in my pantry to make a full batch.

Making half a batch left me enough batter to make a couple of mini loaves in addition to a 9x5-inch loaf. Use your judgment. If you do find you have extra batter, you could bake it as muffins probably for 25 to 30 minutes.

Wendy’s  Pumpkin  Walnut  Bread

Serves 16

1 1 /2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

1 29-ounce can or 2 15-ounce cans pumpkin

3 cups granulated sugar

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil

1 1/3 cups water

4 large eggs

Zest of 2 oranges

1 tablespoon baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour

4 cups all-purpose flour

1. In large dry skillet, toast walnuts on stove over medium heat just until you can smell them.

2. In large bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, water, eggs, and orange zest. Stir until well-combined.

3. Stir baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves through small strainer into bowl. Add toasted walnuts. Stir until evenly distributed.

4. Add whole-wheat flour and stir just until combined.

5. Add all-purpose flour and stir just until combined.

6. Distribute batter between three greased 8x4-inch loaf pans or between two greased 9x5-inch loaf pans or between about 15 greased mini loaf pans.

7. Bake loaves in 350°F. oven for 60 to 75 minutes for larger loaves or about 35 minutes for mini loaves. Remove from oven when loaves pass toothpick test.

8. Transfer pans to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes before removing loaves from pans to rack to cool completely.

NOTE: If using lots of mini loaf pans, place them on baking sheet to ease handling.