Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
Stir together flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl, and make a well in center of mixture. Whisk together pumpkin, next 3 ingredients; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Stir in pecans.
Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loafpans.
Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
We loved this bread; I used English walnuts as the pecans at my market didn't look as good. Three loaves got done in just over an hour. Smelled, looked and tasted heavenly.
