Vegan Pumpkin Bread

"Non-Vegan Approved" 

Vegan Pumpkin Bread

Yum!  As many of you know, I am an AVID baker.  Baking makes my heart smile.  Before making the switch over to a raw/cooked vegan diet, I was so worried I was going to have to ditch my love for baking, but that has not been the case.  I knew vegan baking existed, but being the food snob I am/was, I was one of those who turned their noses up at "alternative" baking. 

Now focusing more on my health, instead of my tongue, I put my prejudice aside and tried out this VERY yummy vegan pumpkin recipe I found here.  In non-vegan baking, I can usually look at a recipe and determine if it has potential to be a winner, but in vegan baking I have no intuition what-so-ever.  Honestly, I chose this recipe because it came from the book The Joy of Vegan Baking.  I'm not going to lie, I don't trust just any old wiki-recipe (as I like to call them) I find posted on the internet.  Basically, if it's been published in a real live book or magazine, I consider it more trustworthy.  All in all, this recipe baked up beautifully, was super moist, and all non-vegans who have tried it have LOVED it.  Here's the recipe:


Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs ground flaxseed*
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar "Sugar in the Raw"**
• 2 cups whole wheat flour***
• 1 cup all purpose white flour
  
• 1/2 cup non-sweetened apple sauce
• 1 can pureed pumpkin
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 cup canola oil
  
• 1 tsp. each cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger (or pumpkin pie spice blend)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt (reduce to 1 tsp if using table salt)
  

 * I'm not sure if the measurement was taken before grinding flaxseeds, or after.  I measured out 3 Tbs.of whole flax seed, ground to powder in an electric coffee grinder, and used all of that.

**The original recipe in the book calls for 2 cups refined white sugar (according to the post I received the recipe from).  I went with this particular post's rendition of the original recipe, and used the 1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar.  Personally, I have a sweet tooth, and would have preferred it a tad sweeter, so if you're like me, go with the 2 cups of sugar.

***  I also used white whole wheat flour with the addition of the 1 cup all purpose white flour, as it tends to bake up better than using ALL reg. whole wheat flour.  I believe the original recipe in the book calls for the using ALL all purpose flour; the whole wheat route is simply better for you.  I figure if I'm going vegan on this, I might as well go all the way on the health scale.


Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.


Combine ground flaxseed and water in a bowl.  Stir to incorporate, and set aside for 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine flax mixture, apple sauce, pumpkin, oil, vanilla, and sugar.

In another bowl, combine the flours, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  Do not over mix!  This is the key to successful quick breads.

Divide into two regular 8in. loaf pans, or four mini loaf pans.  I made one loaf, and I spooned the rest into mini individual bundt cake pans.  Bake the large loaves for about 50 minutes, the smaller loaves for about 35 minutes, and something the size of a muffin for about 15 min - 20min (?).  I'm terrible with timing my baking; I tend to "eye-ball" everything I bake, as I don't blindly trust baking times, or the consistency of oven temps.  The loafs should be slightly browned, and firm to the touch, but do NOT over-bake.  Remove, and cool on wire rack.