Pumpkin Bread, Oh Pumpkin Bread

Sorry the picture isn't more fancy, I was going to make a whipped topping for the muffins but they disappeared!

How lovely are your flavors! I love this time of year. It makes me want to wear cute sweaters, cuddle up with senor next to a bonfire, eat soup all day and fix all things pumpkin and apple. I decided to make some pumpkin bread the other day since I had some left over from Lori's bday cake. Problem being?! I thought I had 15 oz left, nope. Only about 9-10 oz. Well dang. I wasn't about to bust it to the store and so I just decided to improvise a recipe for myself based of several of the TONS I found. It turned out PERFECT! Moist, light, very tasty and overall not too unhealthy. (well except maybe those chocolate chips I threw into the muffins!) It ended up making one loaf and 9 muffins.
The main recipe was from Cooking Light, via Mary Ann.
Here's what my final concoction was:
2 c APF (sifted)
2 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1.25 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp (generous 1/4 tsp) cloves AND ginger
1 c sugar (I think it was more like 3/4c)
2 whole eggs
1 egg white
1/3c oil (again, scant 1/3 c)
1/3 c buttermilk (I sub'd 1/3 c 1% milk + 1 tsp lemon juice, mix, let it sit for 5 min watch the chemistry unfold!)--you could also use plain yogurt
1/2 c water
1 c pumpkin puree
1-2 Tbsp grated orange zest
1/2 c chopped pecans (optional)
as are: chocolate chips, craisins, walnuts, or FINELY chopped apple

Prepare loaf pan (grease, flour); muffin tins. Preheat oven 350 F.
In one bowl mix flour, bkg powder, bkg soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves.
In larger bowl with electric mixer on high mix sugar, eggs + white, oil, buttermilk--until well blended.
Add water and pumpkin, mix on low JUST 'til blended. Then gradually add in dry ingredients until just mixed.
Pour about 1.25-1.5 c batter into loaf pan, top with chopped pecans (or stir them in). Bake for approx 45-60 min (until tester comes out clean, mine was about 50 min)
For muffins, same only they baked about 20-25 min I think.
EAT ONE WHILE IT'S WARM...ah, sweet heaven! I rarely just melt at something I bake but I'll let you know, I tore into one of the chocolate chip (semi-sweet by the by) muffins straight from the oven and oh. how. divine.
Optional topping:
you could use a cream cheese frosting, powdered sugar+ milk concoction OR a whipped cream (add a little brown sugar, cinnamon and a dash of vanilla) frosting to top them. It'll make you swoon.