Delicious Vegan Pumpkin Bread (Can Easily Be Made to Accommodate Gluten-Free Needs)

Scrumptious Pumpkin Bread
By Chef Donna Valente

This is a great way to make a Thanksgiving dish that can be enjoyed by most, if not all, of your guestsMoist, bursting with flavors and textures, vegan and easy to make!

Yields 10 servings.

Equipment needed:

• Measuring bowls and spoons

• Mixing bowls

• Whisk

• Wooden spoons (we recommend 2 larger spoons if possible – however they do not need to be wooden if you don’t have those)

• Rubber spatula (however any spatula will work)

• Parchment paper

• Loaf pan

• Cooking oil spray

• Wooden toothpicks

• Oven mittsIngredients:

• 1 flax meal egg [in a small bowl or measuring cup, combine 1 tablespoon flax seed meal + 3 tablespoons water. Stir and set aside for 5 minutes before using]

• 1 15-oz can of pumpkin purée

• 3/4 cup vegan golden Moreno sugar

• 3/4 cup brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup coconut oil – melted

• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1-3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour [if you need a gluten-free version please substitute the all purpose flour for almond flour]

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon coarse ground pink Himalayan sea salt

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• Topping ingredients:

• 1/2 cup roasted unsalted pepitas [naturally hull-less seeds from a particular variety of pumpkin]

• 1 teaspoon course ground pink Himalayan sea salt

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1-1/2 tablespoons plant butterDirections:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spray loaf pan with cooking oil spray.

3. Cut parchment to fit in pan with paper extending over a few inches on the long sides.

4. Press the parchment paper into the pan and spray again with cooking oil spray (on top of the parchment paper).

5. In a small bowl mix flax seed meal and water. Set aside for 5 minutes.

6. In large bowl, combine sugars, coconut oil, vanilla, pumpkin, almond milk and prepared flax meal egg and mix (step 5) until smooth.

7. Into a smaller bowl add flour, baking powder and baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and whisk until combined.

8. Slowly add flour mixture to wet mixture and gently fold together with a wooden spoon until just combined. Do not over mix!

9. Carefully spoon batter into prepared loaf pan and even it out in the pan and on top (as flat as possible).

10. Sprinkle pepitas on top, then salt, then brown sugar and then dot with small pieces of plant butter.

11. Bake in the preheated 350 degree F oven for 1 hours and 15 minutes, until wooden toothpick inserted into the top center of loaf comes out clean. If the toothpicks come out with batter or bread on them, it is not fully cooked yet. Don’t forget to wear oven mitts and be careful to turn your face away from the oven when opening the door so you don’t get hurt with the steam and heat that comes out.

12. *** YOU KNOW YOUR OVEN BETTER THAN ANYONE *** If your oven runs hot and you know that 1 hour 15 minutes will burn the pumpkin bread, set a time for 1 hour and check to see how done it is. If it needs additional time, you can do that in 5 minute increments until completely baked.

13. Let cool in pan for at least 15 minutes.

14. Remove loaf by carefully and evenly lifting the parchment paper on both sides like handles, and place on wire rack. *** Make sure not to touch the side of the pan as it will still be VERY hot ***

15. Loaf can be eaten while still warm, although it’s easier to slice when a bit cooler.

It’s even more fabulous when toasted because the sugars caramelize a bit more.

Enjoy!