Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf

Yes, it is finally October which means I can eat as much pumpkin as I like for the next 2-3 months.  I had no intentions of baking anything today.  Mom had the stove on for dinner and said that if I wanted to bake something to do it now.  (I think she wanted something sweet for dessert.)  I figured, heck why not in a few days I won't be able to taste anything thanks to chemo, so I might as well enjoy it now.  I pinned this Pumpkin Gingerbread Loaf while having chemo today so I figured since I love gingerbread and pumpkin it would be a great asset to my pumpkin/fall recipes.  Do you know how mom and I cook sometimes?  I read the recipe and gather the ingredients, while she puts them together and mixes.  When I cook myself, she tries to add her 2 bits, but sometimes I have to tell her I'm cooking and to back off.  There are just some things that I like without her adding or subtracting.  However sometimes I really do like it when she adds her 2 bits.  The pumpkin gingerbread loaf is really yummy, especially if you add semi-sweet chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.  We also added vanilla, because we add vanilla to everything we bake and lessened the salt to 1 tsp instead of 1 1/2 tsp.  I don't take credit for this recipe and the person I pinned it from didn't say where she got this recipe from either so to whoever you are, thank you for your recipe!  So do I give one loaf away or freeze it?  Wish I could send it to Theresa at themeadowbrookblog.blogspot.com, but since I can't I'll just be thinking of you as I eat away.
Pumpkin Gingerbread 
Printable Version

3 cups granulated sugar 
½ cup vegetable oil 
½ cup unsweetened applesauce (I used sweetened)
4 eggs 
⅔ cup water 
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree 
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground allspice 
1 tsp. ground cinnamon 
1 tsp. ground cloves (we would put 1/2 tsp in next time)
3½ cups all-purpose flour 
2 tsp. baking soda
1½ tsp. salt  I only used 1 tsp
½ tsp. baking powder 
I added 1 tsp vanilla
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease two 9x5 or 4 mini loaf pans; set aside. 
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugar, oil, applesauce, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Add water and beat until well blended.
3. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, allspice, and cinnamon. 
4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed. Do not over-mix. 
5. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour for 9x5 pans, 30-45 minutes for mini loaf pans (begin checking around 25 minutes for mini pans).