I have a slight pumpkin obsession.
I started making pumpkin bread the last week of August. It sounds early, but at the time we were so close to fall and nothing pumpkin was out in stores yet. Pumpkin was calling my name and I couldn’t resist. It was like the teaser to the full-on pumpkin season. Since then, I have made pumpkin bread at least a dozen times with lots of different recipes. Sometimes I add chocolate chips; sometimes I switch it up with walnuts, glaze or crumb topping. It depends on the occasion and the snacking cravings.
Pumpkin bread is one of my favorite fall foods and I want to be able to share the goodness with everyone. This pumpkin bread is made sans eggs and dairy, so my vegan friends can love and partake of the pumpkin season just as much as I do. Have no fear, non-vegan friends, you won’t even know this bread is vegan AND you will be glad to know that can still make pumpkin bread if you run out of eggs and/or butter.
Pumpkin puree provides the moisture, so you won’t miss the egg. Canola oil replaces any butter that might be used in a quick bread. Maple syrup adds another layer of fall magic that is so, so subtle, while walnuts and pecans throw in some texture and crunch. I love the pairing of the spices in this with the nuts, but you can always replace them with chocolate chips (or vegan chocolate chips, if needed) for an extra delicious treat.
This bread is soft, moist and chock-full of pumpkin flavor. It is comforting and delicious, simple but with complex spices. It makes for the perfect breakfast, snack, or after-dinner treat. Pumpkin bread will always be my favorite fall treat and I’m embracing the season while it is here and including everyone I can. Share the pumpkin, share the love :)
*notes:
-You can up the amount and decrease the brown sugar by a little bit to make the maple flavor stand out more.
-You can replace the canola oil with coconut oil (which makes the breads taste coconutty) or a different flavorless oil.
Vegan Pumpkin Bread
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon ginger
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (just under 2 cups)
1 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup water
1 ¼ cup chopped walnuts and/or pecans (optional; can also use chocolate chips, or vegan chocolate chips)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two loaf pans (8x4x2) with nonstick baking spray and lightly coat with flour. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, oil, maple syrup and water.
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated and there are no patches of dry spots. Make sure to scrape the bottom and any corners of the bowl to catch any lingering flour. Fold 1 cup of the walnuts into the batter.
Pour the batter into the two prepared loaf pans, dividing it evenly between them. Sprinkle the tops of the batter with the remaining ¼ cup of nuts. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Remove the breads from the oven and let cool in the pans for 20 minutes. Transfer them to cooling racks to finish cooling. The breads are easier to cut after they have cooled down completely, but sometimes we can’t wait that long. Serve thick slices warm or cool. If you only plan to eat one loaf immediately, wrap the other loaf in plastic wrap and freeze until you want it later. The breads stay good in the freezer for months; just pull it out and let it thaw, or slice a piece of the frozen bread and toast it.
So very delicious. So very fall.
Slightly adapted from Joy the Baker.
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