The Best Pumpkin Bread

Preheat oven to 350º, and grease (use shortening) and flour 2 loaf pans.

Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves in a medium bowl. In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a standing mixer) combine the sugar and oil. Add the eggs to the sugar/oil mixture, one at a time, mixing well between additions. Add the pumpkin and stir until smooth. Add to the sugars mixture approximately 1/3 of the flour mixture and a little of the water, stirring until smooth. Keep adding the flour and water, stirring after the additions, until all ingredients have been added.

Pour into loaf pans. Bake for approximately 1 1/2 hours, or until the top is nicely cracked and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in pans on a cooling rack for at least a half hour, and let cool completely before wrapping to freeze.