Vegan Pumpkin Bread: Moist, Spiced and One Bowl

Pumpkin bread is the autumn cousin of banana bread, and just as easy to make vegan. Pumpkin purée is thick and moist, so it binds the batter and keeps it soft without eggs. This vegan pumpkin bread is tender, warmly spiced and mixed in a single bowl.

Ingredients

For one 9 x 5 inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf.

• 1 cup canned pumpkin purée (240 g), not pumpkin pie filling
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar (150 g)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)
• ⅓ cup neutral oil (75 ml)
• ⅓ cup unsweetened plant milk (80 ml)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (220 g)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or 1½ teaspoons cinnamon with ¼ teaspoon each ginger and nutmeg and a pinch of cloves
• Optional: ¾ cup dairy-free chocolate chips or chopped pecans, or 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds for the top

Method

1. Prepare. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, both sugars, oil, plant milk and vanilla until smooth.
3. Add the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spice over the top and fold until no dry flour remains. Fold in chocolate chips or nuts if using.
4. Bake. Scrape into the pan, scatter pumpkin seeds on top if you like, and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a skewer in the center comes out clean. Cover with foil after 40 minutes if the top darkens.
5. Cool. Leave in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out and cool completely before slicing. The flavor deepens overnight.

Tips

• Use pure pumpkin purée. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced and sometimes contains milk.
• Measure the pumpkin. A 15-ounce can holds about 1¾ cups; save the rest for pumpkin muffins or pumpkin cookies.
• Fold gently. Overmixing makes quick breads tough and tunneled.
• Check the center. Pumpkin loaves look done on top before the middle is cooked.

Variations

• Streusel top: sprinkle with the cinnamon crumb from our vegan coffee cake before baking.
• Cream cheese swirl: beat 4 ounces of vegan cream cheese with 2 tablespoons sugar and swirl it through the batter.
• Maple glaze: whisk ¾ cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons maple syrup and drizzle over the cooled loaf.
• Muffins: divide between 12 lined cups and bake for 20 to 24 minutes.

Storing

Wrap and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for a week. Sliced, it freezes well for 3 months; toast slices straight from frozen.

For more quick breads, see our vegan banana bread and vegan zucchini bread.