Healthy pumpkin bread
A healthy pumpkin bread with a whole can of pumpkin, whole wheat flour and a third of the usual sugar. 175 calories a slice and moist for days.
- 175
- kcal
- 4g
- protein
- 7g
- fat
- 26g
- carbs
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 65 min
- Serves
- 12
Photograph by Skyler Ewing on Pexels
Ingredients
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup light olive oil or avocado oil, plus more for the pan
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 g) white whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp pepitas, for the top
Method
-
1
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 350°F. Oil a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment.
-
2
Mix the wet ingredients
Whisk the pumpkin, eggs, oil, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth.
-
3
Mix the dry ingredients
In another bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
-
4
Combine
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until no dry flour remains. The batter will be thick.
-
5
Bake
Scrape into the pan, smooth the top and scatter the pepitas over it. Bake 60 to 70 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, or an instant-read thermometer reads 200 to 205°F. Cover loosely with foil if the top browns before the center is done.
-
6
Cool
Cool 15 minutes in the pan, then on a rack. It slices most cleanly the next day.
What makes this pumpkin bread healthier
- White whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose: a whole grain with a mild flavor and light color.
- Less added sugar: 1/2 cup of maple syrup instead of the 1 1/2 cups or so of sugar in a classic loaf. That is about 8 g of added sugar a slice. Maple syrup is still sugar; the gain is the amount.
- Less oil: 1/4 cup instead of the usual 1/2 to 1 cup, because the whole can of pumpkin keeps the loaf moist.
A whole can of pumpkin
Many pumpkin bread recipes use a cup of pumpkin and save the rest of the can for something else. This one uses the whole 15-ounce can. More pumpkin means more moisture, which means the recipe needs less oil. It also gives the bread a deeper orange color and a stronger pumpkin flavor. Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
How to tell when it is done
Pumpkin bread has a very wet batter and takes a full hour, often a little longer. A toothpick in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. If the top is browning quickly but the center is still wet, cover the pan loosely with foil and keep baking. An instant-read thermometer in the center should read about 200°F.
Underbaked pumpkin bread sinks in the middle as it cools. That is the most common problem with this recipe. Starting with the oven fully preheated and checking with a toothpick rather than going by time both help.
No pumpkin pie spice?
Use 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and a pinch each of cloves and allspice. That is roughly what is in the jar.
Variations
- Chocolate chip: fold in 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips. It adds about 40 kcal a slice.
- Muffins: bake the batter in 12 lined muffin cups at 350°F for 20 to 24 minutes.
- Gluten-free: a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend works in place of the whole wheat flour.
- Higher protein: replace 1/4 cup of the flour with vanilla protein powder and add 2 tablespoons of milk, because protein powder absorbs liquid. It adds only about 2 g of protein a slice.
Fresh pumpkin
Homemade pumpkin puree is wetter than canned. Drain it in a fine sieve for 30 minutes, then measure 1 3/4 cups to replace the can.
Keeping it
Pumpkin bread tastes better the day after baking. The spices come through more, and the crumb firms up so it slices cleanly. Keep it wrapped at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for a week. It freezes very well, whole or sliced, for 3 months.
What it is worth nutritionally
About 175 kcal a slice, with 4 g of protein, 7 g of fat and 26 g of carbohydrate, including about 3 g of fiber. A slice of coffee-shop pumpkin bread often has two to three times as many calories, mostly from sugar and oil. Pumpkin itself is very low in calories and rich in beta-carotene, the pigment that gives it its color, which the body converts to vitamin A. A slice holds about 35 g of pumpkin, roughly a quarter of a day's vitamin A. The whole wheat flour and pumpkin together give the bread more fiber than a standard recipe. It still has added sugar, so it is a treat rather than a health food, just a lighter one.
