Is it a loaf or is it a bread?
You could call it a cake, but since there’s no frosting, I’m calling it a loaf. It’s not made with yeast and can’t be cut very thin, so it’s not really bread. It can be made in a few styles of baking vessels, so choose whatever shape you like the best or whatever you already have. Eat it for breakfast, eat it as dessert or have it as a snack with your coffee.
The first time I made this recipe was while visiting my brother. The idea came from me making something to snack on for a hike we were planning on going on the next day. I didn’t have a large range of ingredients to choose from and I didn’t have time to go to the store to get anything specific. So I looked in the pantry and found some olive oil and pumpkin purree and figured I could put it together to make a loaf. This is a good recipe to use up some pantry items and sub in some ingredients you wouldn’t generally use.
I love using pumpkin and squash in baking and cooking, because it adds vitamins and keeps whatever you are making moist. Pumpkin purée does have a slight natural sugar in it, so that does impact the amount of sugar that will be used in the recipe. I know that it may seem like you can only use pumpkin in certain times of the year, but I think it is a nice flavour all year round. Adding the baking spices, makes the flavour more comforting and warm and adding the nuts keeps the texture crunchy and interesting.
I like to make this recipe in a spring form cake pan, since it does puff up a lot and gain some size. You can make it in a loaf pan, but the amount of batter is slightly too much for a regular size loaf pan. If you have 2 smaller pans or 1 large one, that will work to keep that square like shape. The topping is pretty much up to you. I use whatever nuts I have in the pantry and sometimes even go for the chia or hemp seeds to boost up the protein.
Here is the recipe, let me know what you think and how you like to enjoy your pumpkin loaf
Pumpkin Loaf
1¾ Cup AP Flour
¼ cup Whole wheat flower
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking powder
½ tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Nutmeg
½ tsp Ginger
½ tsp Cloves
1 tsp Dark Rum or vanilla extract
2 Eggs
½ big can of Pumpkin Purée or 10oz
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Olive Oil
½ cup Pumpkin seeds/Walnuts/Chia seeds
Recipe Preparation
-Preheat oven to 325F
-Grease your loaf or cake pan with a bit of olive oil, making sure to get in those corners
-Whisk all dry ingredients together
-Whisk olive oil and sugar until pale colour, add eggs and rum
-Fold dry ingredients into the wet and mix thoroughly
-Pour mix into a pan and smooth over the top
-Add the mix of nuts to the top and place in the oven
-Bake for 45-60 minute or until the mix is cooked. It may need more time depending if the middle is cooked. Test it with a toothpick to see if any batter comes out. If the toothpick is clean than the loaf is finished.
-Let cool fully and take out from pan
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