Vegan Pumpkin Bread
When the bright orange pumpkins first make their way into my local grocery stores, my first thoughts go to making pumpkin bread, however I do use canned pumpkin which of course is available year round. This recipe makes is an absolutely wonderfully moist and delicious bread. And with the addition of a few chocolate chips who can resist?
This bread also freezes well if you want to save one loaf for later, just wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil. For a non-vegan version, see my recipe for Pumpkin Bread.
This bread also freezes well if you want to save one loaf for later, just wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil. For a non-vegan version, see my recipe for Pumpkin Bread.
Recipe type: Dessert | Quick Bread | Vegan Bread
Serves: 2 loaves
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Recipe Notes
Pan: two 9x5x2¾ inch loaf pans Pan Prep: Greased, Parchment Lined (optional,) Floured Oven Temp: 350° Storage: Cover and Room Temperature or Refrigerate
Ingredients
Small amount of vegetable shortening and flour for preparing pan
Batter:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree (about 1¾ cups)
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup applesauce Tip: I use sweetened applesauce, or use unsweetened if you prefer
- 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup, preferably “grade A maple syrup with a dark color and robust taste,” formally known as “grade B” syrup.
- 3 tablespoons water
- ½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped (optional)
- ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 9x5x2¾ inch loaf pans; lightly grease the pans with shortening and dust with flour. Tip: to make baked bread easier to remove from pan, lightly grease the pan, line with parchment paper, and then lightly grease the top of the parchment paper and dust with flour.
Batter:
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, applesauce, maple syrup and water; whisk together until well blended. Add flour mixture; stir just until blended. Add nuts and chocolate chips; stir until mixed.
- Bake: Pour batter into the loaf pans, dividing the batter evenly between the 2 pans, and smooth the surface with a small offset spatula, rubber spatula, or the back of a large spoon. Bake 50 to 55 or 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove pans from oven and let cool about 15 minutes. Turn the breads out of the pans onto a wire cooling rack, or grab the top edges of the parchment paper and lift bread from loaf pans and place on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling. Remove parchment paper and discard. Tip: 60 minutes was the perfect bake time for my oven.
Testing for doneness: Use the baking times given in the recipe as an estimate as some ovens bake faster or slower than others. Insert a wooden toothpick or long wooden skewer near the center of the bread and remove it. There may be a few moist crumbs attached to the toothpick or skewer, but not batter. Or, insert an instant read thermometer into the middle of the loaf; the internal temperature should range between 195-205 degrees F. Tip: I like to use a combination of the toothpick test plus a temperature reading using a Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer for an accurate test of doneness.