Pumpkin Banana Loaf

I'm pretty sure the last thing people want to do this time of year is fire up the oven and bake bread, but I just cannot help it.  So in order to not blast us out of the house, I do it in the wee, early morning hours, or later at night once the sun goes down.

That is how I compromise.

A can of pumpkin had been staring at me since last November in my cupboard, and since I had planned on baking two loaves of banana bread - I just threw the pumpkin in as well.  There is no sense in waiting till November to eat pumpkin again.

Although, for some reason we in America feel like that is a rule or something.  No eating pumpkin until fall!  

Well, I guess I broke the rules.

Pumpkin Banana Loaf

1 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. honey

2 large eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 c. pumpkin

1 t. vanilla

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1/2 c. buttermilk (or regular milk)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans.

With an electric mixer or stand alone mixer, cream butter, sugar and honey together until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Beat in the bananas, pumpkin and vanilla. Sift flour together with the baking soda and salt and add to the mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.

Pour the batter into the loaf pans and bake for 50 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan before turning the loaves out onto wire racks to cool completely.

I've got a loaf of this in the freezer for safe keeping.  You know, when I get that hankering for something "fall" in the middle of summer.  Or when I need to cheer up a friend who is a little down.

And speaking of summer and all - I love it, but golly gee, this heat is starting to get unbearable.  I know I shouldn't complain, because the sun and shining and my tomatoes are growing, but I'm HOT.

Like, really, really HOT.

Last night right as I was going to bed the wind picked up and about 10 minutes of rain fell.  It was heaven.  I hope you are staying cool where you are!