Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Halloween is my second favorite holiday, surpassed only by Christmas, because lets be honest, nothing beats a mug of eggnog and a twinkling Christmas Tree overflowing with presents. Here in the UK, Halloween is nowhere near as big a deal as it is in North America which has always surprised me. You would think Brits would be keen to spend a day dressed in crazy costumes and eating endless amounts of candy.
Last year I was excited to discover a grocery store in our neighbourhood that sold canned pumpkin. With an endless list of potential recipes running through my head I decided there was no better way to spread the Halloween spirit then to bake my friends and colleagues pumpkin flavoured treats. In typical hoarder fashion I decided it was best to buy 8 cans just in case (in case of what I’m not too sure, but unfortunately this is the way I shop). Fast forward 12 months and the cans remained untouched in the back of my cupboard with an impending expiry date, and that was how the spiced paleo pumpkin bread was born.
I haven’t been a big fan of pumpkin breads in the past, as I find they always lack flavor, so my primary goal for this recipe was to give the bread a flavor boost with the help of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I came across a small hiccup along the way when I discovered I only had whole cloves, but was convinced that with the help of a mortar and pestle it could be turned into powder in no time. An hour later and I was left with a sore wrist, a kitchen floor covered in cloves and a delicious pumpkin bread (if you ignored crunchy pieces of clove in each bite). After a trip to the grocery store, loaf number 2 was a great success.
I topped this paleo pumpkin bread with a cinnamon icing but there is so much flavour in the bread, that the icing isn’t necessary, it just makes it look a little prettier. I have made this in both a rectangular bread pan and a shallow baking dish and find the latter to be much more effective at ensuring the bread cooks evenly throughout. This bread is great for breakfast, dessert or even as a healthy snack that the whole family will love.
Here are a few more pumpkin recipes that you might enjoy…
- Pumpkin Spice Breakfast Cookies
- Pumpkin Mug Cake
- Pumpkin Spice Granola
- Pumpkin Spice Energy Balls
- Spiced Pumpkin Bread
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 can pumpkin puree 425 grams*
- 2/3 cups chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
- In a mixing bowl combine all of the above ingredients and stir until well combined
- Line a 11 x 7inch baking dish with parchment paper
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake in the oven for approximately 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. If it looks like the top of the bread is browning too quickly cover it with tin foil
- Remove from the oven and serve
Notes
Cinnamon Icing
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup cashews which have been soaked in water for 4 hours
- 2 tbsp almond milk
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp honey or other sweetener
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Allow them to soak for a minimum of 4 hours. When ready to use drain the remaining water from the bowl.
- In a food processor combine the above cashews and almond milk and blend until the mixture becomes smooth and the cashews have completely broken down
- Add in the remaining ingredients and continue to blend. If the icing is too thick add another tbsp of almond milk.
- Ice the spiced pumpkin bread before serving and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
Looks delicious! Do have tips to make it less dense? Thanks 🙂
I love anything with the words “spiced” and “pumpkin” in them! Will definitely have to try this before Thanksgiving!
Me too! I’m such a sucker for spiced fall foods. Let me know if you make this!
I made this yesterday and was so happy with how it turned out, it’s delicious. There is so much flavour in the bread that I didn’t end up making the icing, I just sprinkled the top of the bread with a chopped walnuts. I will definitely be making this again.