Spiced Pumpkin Bread With Orange Cream Cheese

1/3 cup butter or margarine -- softened (2/3

-- stick) 1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup solid pack pumpkin

1 egg

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 cup dried currants

1/2 cup chopped pecans

orange cream cheese -- (recipe follows)

Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light; add pumpkin and egg, mixing well. In medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger and allspice; gradually add to butter mixture, mixing until well blended. Stir in currants and pecans. Pour batter into greased 8 x 4-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350?F for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Serve with Orange Cream Cheese. Orange cream cheese: In medium bowl, combine 1 package cream cheese, softened, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract and 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange peel; stir until smooth. Stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons milk to make spreading consistency. Hint: For holiday gift giving, place wrapped bread in a decorative basket along with a container of Orange Cream Cheese.

Posted to Fabfood By Lisa List-Owner May 1998