This is a true family favorite and designed for home-grown winter squash and pumpkins.
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups pumpkin or winter squash, cooked and pure'd
(or 1 can of 15 oz. pumpkin plus 2/3 cup water)
1 cup oil
4 eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or change to 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips)
In a bowl, combine dry ingredients. Combine pumpkin, oil and eggs in another bowl and stir these into dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in pecans or chocolate chips. Spoon into two greased and sugared 9x5x3 inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center. Cool ten minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. For muffins, bake 18-20 minutes. When cooled, dunk each muffin in carmel glaze.
Carmel Glaze:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream or canned milk
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine butter, sugars and cream in a saucepan. Cook until sugar dissolves. Cool slightly and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled loaves.