The perfect autumnal treat – this pumpkin bread recipe is all you need to get you through a dreary, cold and rainy day! It’s so easy to put together and made with healthier ingredients.
To be completely honest, I only got into baking with pumpkin recently. Apart from the pumpkin spice lattes that pop up in coffee shops around October time, pumpkin in general isn’t a big thing in the UK. Pumpkin puree isn’t regularly available in supermarkets, although it’s easy to find online. That’s why I’ve never really felt the urge to bake with it.
Having said that, I always see so many American recipes around this time of year using pumpkin and they always make my mouth water. Every single year I say to myself “I need to make something with pumpkin this year”, but then before I know it, autumn has already come and gone and I have 0 pumpkin recipes under my belt.
This year things had to change. I ordered 3 cans of pumpkin puree online and boy am I glad I did! This is my first time making pumpkin bread and now I see what all the fuss is about. Pumpkin adds SO MUCH moisture to cakes. Paired with autumnal spices it makes the most delicious and cosy fall treat. It’s especially delicious with a cup of coffee (another thing I’ve been getting into recently – I’m usually more of a tea person!).
Why I love making this pumpkin bread recipe:
Banana bread is one of my favourite types of cake – it’s so moist and dense. This pumpkin bread bread has that same kind of texture, but with added spice and warmth. Definitely my kind of treat and something I won’t stop baking any time soon. It’s safe to say it has quickly become my favourite autumn treat.
Anything spiced with things like cinnamon and ginger is a must for me this time of year. They’re so comforting and make me think of warming drinks, cosy blankets, and dare I say, Christmas time! Spices like cinnamon and ginger actually have a warming effect on the body, helping improve circulation and even giving a slight sense of heat, which makes them perfect for cooler weather.
I tried to make my pumpkin bread recipe a little healthier by using less sugar and I’ve also included an option to use wholemeal spelt flour instead of plain flour for a higher fibre option. You can add things like nuts and dried fruit for even more added goodness.
Why you need to try this pumpkin bread recipe:
- Warm, Comforting Flavours: Pumpkin has a mild, earthy flavour that pairs perfectly with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. These spices evoke feelings of warmth and coziness, which are perfect for cooler autumn weather.
- Versatility: This pumpkin bread recipe can easily be adjusted to likes and dietary preferences. You can omit the chocolate chips if you want a healthier/lower sugar version. You can use dairy or non dairy milks alike and adjust the spices to your liking.
- Rich Nutrient Content: Pumpkin is loaded with nutrients like vitamin A, fibre, and antioxidants, which add nutritional value to dishes. It contributes to heartiness and wholesomeness in autumn meals, which are often more substantial and comforting.
What you’ll need to make this pumpkin bread recipe:
Pumpkin puree – adds so much moisture making the cake moist and so rich. I get mine from Amazon, but you can find it the international section of some major supermarkets. If you can’t find pumpkin puree, you can used the same amount of mashed ripe banana.
Flour/wholemeal spelt flour – Plain flour gives a better texture, but I have tried making this pumpkin bread recipe using wholemeal spelt flour to make it a little healthier. The result is a denser cake, but still delicious.
Ground almonds – Another ingredient that helps add density and richness to the loaf.
Sugar – I like to use light brown sugar, but any granulated sugar will work. Brown sugars go really well with the warm spices and makes it that much more comforting and moreish.
Oil – I used odourless coconut oil, but any will work.
Milled flaxseed – this works as a binder and an egg substitute. If you don’t need the recipe to be vegan feel free to use a regular medium egg. Ground chia seeds will also work.
Spices – the main ones I like to use are cinnamon and ginger. I also used cloves, but you can use something like allspice.
Dark chocolate chips – they add a yummy hint of chocolate, but you can omit if you prefer.
How to make this pumpkin bread recipe:
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Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
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Mix the milled flaxseed and water in a small bowl and leave to set for 10 minutes.
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In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, flaxseed mixture, milk and coconut oil until smooth.
- Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in another bowl, then add in the ground almonds, spices and salt.
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Add the dry mixture into the bowl of wet ingredients and mix into a smooth batter.
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Fold in 2/3 of the chocolate chips, then transfer into a loaf tin lined with baking paper.
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Scatter the rest of the chocolate chips on top and bake for 55-60 minutes. It’s ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
How to store your pumpkin bread:
Store in an air-tight container for 3-4 at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge.
This pumpkin bread recipe is:
- It’s moist, dense and rich
- Flavoured with cosy spices
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Made with healthier substitutes
- Super easy to put together
- It’s super delicious and moreish
- It’s basically the prefect autumnal treat!
Here’s how to make it…
Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp milled flaxseed*
- 3 tbsp water
- 200g Plain flour**
- 50g ground almonds
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 100g light brown or caster sugar
- 340g pumpkin puree
- 120ml coconut oil melted
- 120ml milk of choice
- 100g dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
- Mix the milled flaxseed and water in a small bowl and leave to set for 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, flaxseed mixture, milk and coconut oil until smooth.
- Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in another bowl, then add in the ground almonds, spices and salt.
- Add the dry mixture into the bowl of wet ingredients and mix into a smooth batter.
- Fold in 2/3 of the chocolate chips, then transfer into a loaf tin lined with baking paper.
- Scatter the rest of the chocolate chips on top and bake for 55-60 minutes. It’s ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition
Incredible recipe! Soft, moist and melts in your mouth! Not overly sweet with a good amount of spice. Super easy to put together too xxx
It’s my go to cake recipes for Autumn 😀 Thank you Krissy xx
Hi! I know it’s probably annoying to have someone tweak your recipe, BUT I don’t have any ground almonds and I was wondering if another half a cup of flour would work in place of them?
Thank you!
Hi Elise 🙂 It should work, but I haven’t tried it without the ground almonds. Let me know if you do try it and how it turns out though!
Hi Nadia, that looks so delicious, I can’t wait to make it, can I use almond flour instead ?
Thank you Sadia 🙂 I don’t actually have much experience with almond flour (it’s difficult to get hold of in the UK), so I can’t say for sure how this recipe will turn out using it. Please let me know if you do try it though.
This is my favorite pumpkin bread! I’ve been making it again and again and it comes out perfect every time.
Thats amazing Melanie 😀 So glad to hear it x
This is the best pumpkin bread! I have made it several times, once without the chocolate chips, but I think it’s much better with. Always comes out so moist and delicious. Thank you!
Thank you for your feedback Deborah 😀 The chocolate chips do add a little extra something, don’t they?!
Me and my husband loved it! So nice with a cup of decaf coffee in the evening to wind down 🙂
So glad you both loved it Kim 🙂 Thank you for your feedback! xx