Nothing says “Autumn” in the United States better than pumpkin.  Pumpkin is featured in everything from the start of September onward. First,  the trip to the pumpkin patch with the kids to pick out the perfect pumpkin, then the carving of the Halloween Jack-O-Lantern, and finally, the pumpkin pie on the Thanksgiving table. What an interesting life the humble pumpkin leads!

The versatile pumpkin can be a decoration, a vegetable, or in a dessert.  It’s seeds can be roasted with salt and eaten as a snack, and it can scare kids on Halloween night.

One cup of pumpkin puree only contains 83 calories, but it contains 7 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein, and delivers 19% of the iron, 17% of the vitamin C, and a whopping 763% of the Vitamin A you need daily.  What a powerhouse vegetable the pumpkin is!

One of the things I missed the most when my family became gluten free was pumpkin bread. I created this recipe, changing out the ‘bad’ white table sugar for Coconut Palm Sugar and Honey, and adding pieces of candied ginger to enhance the ginger flavor of the bread.  The little bits of chewy ginger and the Coconut Palm Sugar add a depth that the old recipe did not have. Not only do I not miss the recipe that contains wheat flour, I actually prefer mine!  Creamy honey-cinnamon butter completes the flavor.  Of course, if you prefer, you can leave out the nuts and candied ginger, or make some of each.  It is totally up to you.

Plain Pumpkin bread

PUMPKIN BREAD WITH CANDIED GINGER, AND PECANS

• 1 15 Ounce can of Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 4 Eggs
• 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 1/2 Cups Coconut Palm Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Honey
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 2 3/4 Cups Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum (2 teaspoons Xanthan gum if Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Does NOT contain Xanthan Gum already)
• 1 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (optional)
• 1/2 Cup Candied Ginger, Chopped into small pieces (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.  Thoroughly spray two large 7″X3″ or four small loaf pans with spray oil.

Lightly beat eggs, and oil together, mix in pumpkin puree.  Stir in Coconut Palm Sugar and Honey.  Mix thoroughly.  Stir in xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ground ginger.  Add gluten free flour 1 cup at a time, stirring to combine until all flour is incorporated.  Stir in nuts and candied ginger if you are using them.  Batter will be sticky. Sprinkle extra nuts or candied ginger on top of loaves if desired.

Divide mixture evenly between pans and bake for 1 hour, or until loaves spring back when touched, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaves comes out clean.

Cooking times can vary with different ovens, so be aware that these loaves may take a longer time to cook.

HONEY CINNAMON BUTTER

• 3/4 Cup softened butter
• 3 Tablespoons Honey
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Stir honey and cinnamon into softened butter until combined.  Serve with Pumpkin Bread.

Pumpkin Bread with Candied Ginger and Pecans

If you choose to use the candied ginger, don’t look for many little chunks in your bread.  I’ve found that most kind of melt into little pockets of ginger-y goodness, while the ones on top of the bread stay chewy.  If you are having trouble finding candied ginger, a couple of places carry it.  I have purchased the ginger at Penzeys Spices online at:  http://www.penzeys.com and Trader Joe’s Supermarket if there is one in your area.  There may be stores in your area that carry this product as well, if you can’t find it, just ask.  You can use either crystallized or uncrystallized, either will work.

I hope you will try this moist, sweet, delicious bread.  If you can’t find canned pumpkin, you can always peel an actual pumpkin, cut it into chunks, boil it until it is soft, drain, and mash it.  I’m sure this would work well.  You would need about 2 cups.

Enjoy this sweet Autumn treat from my home in New England.  Just remember, if you have leftover Honey Cinnamon Butter, it is amazing on your morning toast, or on baked sweet potatoes or squash.

Hugs,

Marcie/Pepperchick

Plain Pumpkin Bread with Honey Cinnamon Butter