Here are a few pumpkin bread recipes from The Art of Amish Cooking. I have not tried any of them, so don't know how dark they are.

Autumn Bread

2/3 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cups pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
Nuts, if desired

Mix and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour in greased tin cans. Let cool 10 minutes. Remove from cans and roll in sugar.

Pumpkin Nickle Bread

1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin
1 cup grated apple
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Raisins or nut, if desired

Mix first 6 ingredients. In separate bowl mix rest of ingredients. Combine all. Put into greased loaf pan. Mix 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
2/3 cup cold water
2 cups pumpkin
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
Nuts, if desired

Mix all ingredients together. Grease and flour 4 one lb. coffee cans. Pour one half full with batter. Bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.

The title of the cookbook should be An Art of Amish Cooking, not The Art of Amish Cooking.

If you want a dark pumpkin bread, you will need to look for one containing molasses.
I have several but some contain raisins and nuts as well as pumpkin. But to get that dark bread you will need some molasses.
Linda C

Marigene, Thanks a million for taking the time to pass along not only one but three recipes. I collect PA Dutch recipes and will be pleased to add them to my collection, as I don't have that particular book.
Linda C, I think you are on target reference the molasses, elsewise I don't know how this particular bread could have gotten so dark brown, almost black. I am just questioning if the lady got mixed up, and if it really was gingerbread.

Here's a pumpkin gingerbread recipe (had never heard of this myself.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Pumpkin Gingerbread

I've never heard of Pumpkin Gingerbread but the recipe sounds really good. Will have to look thru my Amish Cookbooks and see what they have for Pumpkin Bread too.

I made some spiced bread at my DIL's using her dark brown sugar from TJs. When I tried to reproduce this dark, rich, moist, yummy bread with dark brown sugar from the grocery it just wasn't the same. I figure the dark brown sugar from TJ's had to have had a lot more molasses.

Hi, Anna. Here is my recipe for Pumpkin Bread, which comes out a dark color and is very moist and stays that way for several days. It also freezes well. The original recipe called for (and I used to make it that way) baking in 1# coffee cans, but we quit buying coffee in 1# cans. Enjoy, it was passed down to me by a beloved Aunt!

1 c. wesson oil
1 c. water
1 can pumpkin (I use Libby's)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 t. vanilla (I use Mexican vanilla)

Mix together above ingredients. Stir together the following ingredients and add to your wet mixture.

3 c. sugar
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. allspice
2 t. cinnamon
3 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. pecans

Pour combined mixtures into 2 large loaf pans, which are well-greased and floured. Bake at 325 for approximately 1 hour. It seemed every house I've had since I've had this recipe, cooked the bread different. Just check when the top springs back or the old toothpick trick. Don't overcook.

Brenda

Here's a quick and easy one:
Honey Pumpkin Loaf
Cream 1/2c butter
1/2c sugar
Add 1c pumpkin and mix well
Blend in
2c all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1c raisins
1/2c nuts
1/2c honey
Do not overmix, Bake in a greased
loaf pan at 325° for 1 hour or til tests done.
From Lang Co. Amish Cookbook

Westelle, thanks for the tip on the dark brown sugar from TJ being exceptional. I never would have guessed that the brand of brown sugar would have made any difference. We don't have a TJ here, but if I'm visiting in an area that does, I'll make sure to pick some up.

Brenda, seeing as how it "comes out dark and stays moist", this has great potential. Thank you Roselin32 and ginger st thomas for posting the Honey Pumpkin Loaf and Pumpkin Gingerbread, both of which look really worthwhile trying.
Methinks I'll be baking up a storm and tucking loaves of pumpkin bread with me everywhere I go this Autumn.

Hope you let us know how they turn out, Anna.