Recipe for cooking butternut spice loaf

Quick Meals- Soups and Bread :: Sweet Quick Breads

Butternut Spice Loaf

1 (2 lb.) butternut squash
1/2 C. butter or butter replacement, softened
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 lrg. eggs
2 C. self-rising flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 C. chopped pecans

Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place cut side down in a shallow pan; add water to a depth of 1/2 in.. Cover with foil, and bake at 400 degrees F for one hr. or until tender; drain. Scoop out pulp; mash. Discard shell. Measure 1 3/4 C. pulp; reserve any remaining pulp for other uses.

Beat butter at med. speed of electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating mixture well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

Mix together flour and spices; add to butter mixture alternately with squash, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in pecans. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9 x 5-in. bread loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hr. and 10 min. or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 min. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.