We used apple juice to sweeten the bread, but this recipe is equally tasty made with orange juice or cranberry juice.

　　

Ingredients

makes one 9-inch loaf

　　Soft butter, for the pan

　　2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

　　1/2 teaspoon baking powder

　　1 teaspoon baking soda

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 cup molasses

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　1/2 cup vegetable oil

　　2 large eggs, lightly beaten

　　1 cup Pumpkin Puree (recipe follows), or canned

　　2 tablespoons apple juice

　　1/2 cup roughly chopped dried cranberries

　　1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts

　　8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

　　1/4 cup honey

　　

Pumpkin Puree

1 3 1/2-pound pumpkin, such as Small Sugar Pie, cut in half

　　(makes 3 cups)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 5 × 9-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

　　

Step 2

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the molasses, sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin, and apple juice. Add the flour mixture; mix until combined. Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Spoon mixture into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let the bread sit for about 10 minutes, and then turn the bread out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.

　　

Step 3

While the bread cools, make the frosting. Combine the cream cheese and honey in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until smooth and well combined. Once the bread is completely cooled, spread the top with frosting. Serve.

　　

Pumpkin Puree

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the pumpkin cut side down on a baking pan; roast until tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven; let cool. Using a large spoon, scrape out and discard seeds. Remove the flesh; transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Process until completely pureed without any solid pieces, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate up to several days or freeze up to 1 month.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.