The Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread- made in one bowl with simple wholesome ingredients, this pumpkin bread is perfectly moist and full of delicious flavor. It truly is the best!
Each year I find myself struggling to hold off with the pumpkin recipes. Fall decor, no problem. But I just can’t help myself in the food department. The spices fill the house with the most comforting scent and instantly makes me feel all cozy inside. Even if it’s still sweltering hot outside.
Ground Flax Seed- Ground flax is used to help bind the bread and provide moisture. You simply combine one tablespoon with 4 tablespoons of water and set aside to thicken. If you are able to eat eggs you can substitute one egg in place of the ground flax and water.
Flour– I like to use spelt flour to keep the recipe whole grain but you can use all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour or gluten-free all-purpose.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda- I frequently use both powder and soda as I find the combination gives the best rise, especially with vegan recipes.
Pumpkin Pie Spice and Salt- By using pumpkin pie spice we can avoid having to buy a long list of spices. That said, if you prefer to make your own
Pumpkin Puree– Be sure that you have pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix. Farmers Market is my go-to brand but it tends to be a bit watery compared to other brands so you may need to add a few tablespoons of water to compensate when using thicker purees.
Pure Maple Syrup- This is the main sweetener for the recipe and using a liquid sweetener allows us to avoid adding milk or water to the recipe. Agave nectar, honey or date syrup would be reasonable substitutes. If you choose to use a granulated sweetener you will need to add liquid to the recipe.
Vanilla Extract– Just a hint of vanilla takes baked goods over the top.
Melted Coconut Oil– Coconut oil works best in this recipe but you could also use olive oil or any neutral flavored vegetable oil that you prefer. If you wanted to make it oil-free I would suggest using a drippy tahini or almond butter. I haven’t tested it this way myself but my suspicion is that it would work well.
How to Make The Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Combine ground flax and water. Set aside to thicken.
Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl (pumpkin puree, maple syrup, melted oil, and vanilla). Add flax mixture.
To the same bowl, add the flour, baking soda, powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Stir until a batter forms.
Transfer to a lightly greased loaf pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes. Allow to cool, serve and enjoy!
Options for Frosting
I like to top it with the cashew cream cheese frosting from my carrot banana bread recipe but feel free to skip the frosting if you want it to be more like a bread rather than a cake.
Preheat the oven to 350°F then lightly grease a standard 9-inch loaf pan. In a measuring cup, combine the flax and water. Stir together then set aside to thicken.
In a large bowl, add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla extract, melted coconut oil and flax mixture.
To the same bowl, add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice. Stir together until a batter forms. Transfer to the batter to the loaf pan and smooth down across the edges.
Bake in the oven for about 60-70 minutes, or until firm and dark brown on the edges. Set aside to cool for at least an hour before serving. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days (or longer if refrigerated).
Notes
Nutrition Facts are an estimate and will vary depending on specific ingredients you choose. They do not include the frosting.*Be sure that you have pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix. Farmers Market is my go-to brand but it tends to be a bit watery compared to other brands so you may need to add a few tablespoons of water to the recipe to compensate when using thicker purees.**Coconut oil works best in this recipe but you could also use olive oil or any neutral flavored vegetable oil that you prefer. I haven’t tried replacing or reducing the oil because I feel like this amount is necessary for the most desirable result. If you experiment and have good results please let us know in the comments below!***Spelt flour can be substituted with all purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour or gluten-free all-purpose.****Pumpkin pie spice can be replaced with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon cloves.I topped mine with cashew cream cheese frosting from my carrot banana bread but that’s totally optional if you want to leave it plain :)
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!