Preheat the oven to 350°F while you assemble the batter. In a large mixing bowl, beat oil and sugar with an electric beater, until well combined.
Add pumpkin puree and vanilla extract, and beat it again, until mixed with sugar and oil.
Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined.
Sift in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin spice.
Add dried cranberries and walnuts. Using a spatula, gently mix everything well.
Grease the mini-loaf pans using a baking spray and pour in the batter leaving ¾-1 inch from the top. Place the loaf pans on a cooking sheet for easy handling.
Place it in the middle rack. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until an inserted tooth-pick comes out clean.
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Notes
Use whole wheat or all purpose flour. I like the use of whole wheat flour for added fiber and nutrients. But feel free to use all-purpose flour or a combo of 50/50 whole wheat and all-purpose flour instead.
Make it healthier by adding ½ cup rolled oats. The oats add a subtle, tender bite and delicate chew.
Pumpkin can be homemade or canned. You will need 1 cup puree total. Use about ½ a 14-ounce can for this recipe. Libby's is a great store-bought brand.
Adjust the sugar to suit your taste. This pumpkin bread leans more on the sweet side. Simply reduce the sugar to ¾ cup for a mild sweet flavor.
The sugar glaze on top is optional. To make the icing, add ½ cup powdered sugar to a small bowl with 1 Tablespoon milk or water. Whisk to combine. Pipe with a small piping tip or Ziplock bag with the corner snipped off. To make it more of a glaze, add more liquid to thin it out to your desired consistency.
Make bread or muffins. Adjust the cooking time as follows: Mini Loaves: 22-25 minutes; Bread (9 x 5 inch loaf pan): 45-50 minutes; Muffins: 20-22 minutes.
Change up the mix-ins. Swap out the cranberries for raisins, black currants or chocolate chips (dark, milk or white). For the nuts, you can use pecans, slivered almonds or omit them entirely.
Make it Vegan. Use ½ cup applesauce instead of the eggs.
Store in the fridge or freezer. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. For longer storage, after the loaves have cooled completely, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then double wrap in foil. Alternatively, place each loaf into its own Ziplock freezer storage bag. Label, date and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.