Pumpkin and Prune Tea Bread

makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 scant tsp ground clove
1 generous tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly ground if you can)
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
zest of 1/2 orange
16 ounces pumpkin puree
12 prunes steeped in Mighty Leaf Orange Dulce tea (or any other orange-black tea)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour two loaf pans.
Sift flour, baking soda, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Combine sugar and oil and beat with a handmixer or in a stand mixer for about 2 minutes, until well combined and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating all the while, 3 to 5 minutes in total. Add pumpkin, and orange zest and beat one minute more.
Add flour mixture in 3 additions. Once mixed, divide batter between the two loaf pans.
Drain prunes. Without drying, add the prunes to the top of the breads. Make sure to bruise them up a little (without pulling them to pieces) so the juice runs out and into the batter.
Bake for 60-70 minutes, checking that a toothpick comes out clean when done.