Adapted by Michelle Raso Carli from www.bostonchannel.com

I got this recipe from a friend years ago. It’s very easy and a nice gift – when they open the jar, the pumpkin bread slides right out.

•Eight 1-pint wide-mouth canning jars (see note)
*3 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 4 eggs
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup chopped pecans

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat the canning jars with nonstick cooking spray.
2) In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar and butter for three to four minutes, until well blended. Add the pumpkin and eggs and beat for two more minutes.
3) Add remaining ingredients, except the pecans. Beat for one to two minutes, or until well-blended. Stir in pecans.
4) Spoon mixture into jars. Fill each jar about halfway, to the one-cup line on the side. Wipe sides and top of jars clean.
5) Place jars on a cookie sheet. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Carefully place the lids on the jars and seal while still hot. Once cool, I tighten the lids again. When you first put them on, they may make a popping sound. Allow to cool completely before opening. To serve, slide the bread out of the jars and slice. While these are baked in canning jars, this is not canning. These can be stored for two to three weeks at room temperature, or frozen for up to two months.
Note: This batter can also be baked in two 9” x 5” loaf pans, adding about 20 minutes to the baking time. However, the canning jars make nice pre-packaged gifts, especially if personalized with a festive ribbon and descriptive label.