Vegan Pumpkin Loaf

The smell of pumpkin spice is once again in the air and there are plenty options of fresh and canned pumpkins at the stores. Many of my loyal readers are always asking how I can make a recipe vegan or top 8 food allergen free. This time around as I was writing and testing for a pumpkin loaf recipe, I decided that I would start experimenting with only vegan ingredients. What I have learned is that to baking with no gluten, eggs, dairy or soy…it is a test of great patience.

The 3 main goals of baking a perfect loaf:

The rise, the batter or dough has to rise so that it doesn’t turn into a rock.
The texture, how many times has your baked good turned into a mush or a gum paste.
The flavor, now this is essential to any meal that we make… no matter how healthy or pretty it is to look at, it MUST taste good.

After a few ugly failures, I think we finally achieve the 3 categories above. The result is a vegan, non-refined sugar, and top 8 allergen free pumpkin loaf. Give this recipe a try at home and let me know how it worked for you!

XOXO,

Jenny

Vegan Pumpkin Loaf Recipe

1 1/2 cup of all purpose organic gluten free flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon of dried ginger powder
1 cup of organic pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup of unflavored seltzer or club soda
1/2 cup of pure organic maple syrup
1 teaspoon of vinegar
5 teaspoon of avocado oil or grape seed oil (in a pinch you can use vegetable oil)

Directions:

Sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves) into a large mixing bowl.
In a separate mixing bowl or measuring cup whisk the pumpkin puree with vanilla and maple syrup together.
Create 3 wells (small, medium and large) in the flour with your finger.
Fill the large well with pumpkin mixture, the medium with the oil and the small one with the vinegar (make sure you do it in the order I have here…vinegar LAST!!!)
As you stir the ingredients in the wells with the flour, slow pour in 1/2 cup of the seltzer.
You don’t need to over stir just make sure the ingredients are mixed well together.
Pour the batter into a loaf pan and let the batter sit for 10 minutes while you are pre-heating the oven.
Preheat the oven at 350F
Place the loaf pan into the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. (Test the loaf by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaf, if the tooth pick comes out clean with little to no residual… it is done.)
Remember to remove the loaf from the pan and let the bread cool on a rack.
Serve by itself or with some vegan butter…yum!