2 1/2 cups sugar

8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

2 cups pumpkin puree

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds, plus more for garnish

 

Butter and flour two 9 x 5 loaf pans or equivilent in other sizes. Preheat oven to 350F

 

Combine all the dry ingredients.

 

Cream together sugar, cream cheese, and butter until well blended. This works best with an electric mixer but can be done by hand.

 

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well by hand after each. Blend in the pumpkin. Add the dry ingredients, and combine until just moist. Fold in the pumpkin seeds.

 

Divide batter between the loaf pans. Sprinkle tops with additional pumpkin seeds.

 

Bake at 350F until loaves set and a tester inserted in the middle comes out dry, about an hour. Cool on a cake rack about five minutes, remove from pans, and let cool thoroughly.