Vegan Pumpkin Bread

Brrrr...it's chilly. Feels much more like fall than summer. It's tea and a movie weather. 

Look at the spoon...refraction!

So I guess I can justify making something pumpkin-y because of the tricky weather?  Canned pumpkin, mind you, I wouldn't go out of my way to look for a very out of season pumpkin at this time of year. In my other kitchen ventures, I'm definitely into using in season produce. Berries, avocados, peppers, tomatoes, basil...peaches...you will soon learn of my peach love. Take advantage of all the beautiful colorful fruits and veggies available at this time of year! 

I wanted to show off my new measuring spoons.

Ahem...anyway...back to pumpkin...which doesn't sound nearly as exciting as it did before I started blathering about summer things. But weather totally affects cooking, right? And right now, here, it's cold and rainy. So pumpkin bread it is. Side note, don't take it out 20 minutes before the timer goes off because your brother wants you to take him to McDonalds and you don't want to make him wait and get all irritated. It won't cook all the way. Also, don't let your mother slice it up, throw it into the oven and try and save it by turning it into biscotti. She may leave the house and forget about it, leaving you to find a scorched mess in the (luckily not burned down) kitchen. 

Vegan Pumpkin Bread

adapted from Joy the Baker 

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (you can use some wheat, I didn't have any)

2 cups brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, or just under two cups

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup water

1 cup chopped walnuts (or not, if you don't feel like it)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place a rack in the center of the oven.  Grease and flour two loaf pans and set aside

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.  

In a medium bowl, carefully whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup and water.  

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold all of the ingredients together.  Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl well, finding any stray flour bits to mix in.  Fold in most of the chopped walnuts, reserving some to sprinkle on top of the batter once in the pan. 

Divide the dough between the two greased pans and sprinkle with a few walnut pieces.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.  Remove from the oven.  Let rest in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.