Spiced Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Beat sugar
and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves,
cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large
bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in walnuts, if desired.
Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into
center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool
10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out
onto racks and cool completely.