Sweet Bread or Quick Bread?

I just started baking again after many years of having little free time.  Today I made pumpkin bread in my new bread machine and it turned out yummy.

But, at the center of the finished loaf, a very small section, about a inch wide and a inch and a half deep, the bread was not cooked.  I used the sweet bread setting because the recipe did not say anything specific. Did I use the wrong setting?  I plan on giving loaves of bread as Christmas gifts and I want to be sure I get it right.  Any suggestions about what I did wrong would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Louise