The best pumpkin bread recipe
Add to your list of fall’s simple pleasures—along with turning leaves, apple cider and professional football (Go Giants!)—the return of pumpkin-flavored foods. I love pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin beer and even pumpkin candy when I can find it. What a great flavor! Pumpkin balances the sweet, light taste of squash with a decadent rich texture that feels almost velvety on the tongue.
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Of all my beloved pumpkin baked goods, pumpkin bread has got to be top of the list. It seems like every year I’ve forgotten about it until it turns up at my local bakery (or in our oven, courtesy of my baking-fiend wife!). And then, of course, pure pleasure: delicate, cakey texture, rich flavor and just a hint of comforting fall spices. Mmmm.
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The only drawback to pumpkin bread has got to be the health factor. Simply put: even healthier breads are pretty rich. And sweetened-up, dense pumpkin breads can often be calorie bombs. That’s why I love the EatingWell recipe so much: it finds ways to keep the calorie count down without sacrificing flavor. By swapping healthy canola oil for butter and keeping a lid on the sugar, it manages to shave a respectable 30 calories and 4 grams of fat per slice, so you don’t have to feel guilty about celebrating the season in style!
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Pumpkin Bread
Healthy Weight Healthy Heart
Makes: 2 loaves, 12 slices each
Active time: 15 minutes | Total: 3 hours (including cooling time)
Canned pumpkin puree and whole-wheat flour come together in this healthy homemade pumpkin bread. The canned pumpkin helps keep the bread moist and tender. If you like the flavor of pumpkin pie spice, feel free to add a pinch or two to season the bread.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole-wheat flour, preferably white whole-wheat (see Tip)
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 cups canned unseasoned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray.
2. Stir all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Whisk eggs, egg whites, brown sugar, pumpkin and oil in another large bowl. Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
3. Bake the loaves until the tops are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn the loaves out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Per slice: 210 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 16 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrate; 18 g added sugars; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 377 mg sodium; 125 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (96% daily value), Iron (15% dv).
Tip: Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Find it at large supermarkets and natural-foods stores. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.
What's your favorite fall food with pumpkin?
Matthew Thompson is the associate food editor for EatingWell Magazine.
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