Savory Pumpkin Bread and Bonus Pumpkin Cupcakes

'Tis the season for all things pumpkin, which is a-okay by me.  I love pumpkin.  So much so that I really do use it all year round, but autumn gives me the excuse to use it with reckless abandon.  Watch out!  And what’s not to love?  It’s mildly sweet flavor works wonderfully in both sweet and savory applications, and it makes baked goods super moist.  Just one cup of pumpkin contains 145% of the RDA of vitamin A, and pumpkin has been found to have anti-cancer type effects.  So eat your pumpkin!  This recipe is a twist on the classic sweet-style pumpkin bread we’re all used to.  It has a mild, herby undertone and isn’t too sweet.  It uses whole wheat flour as well as less sugar and oil than most sweet recipes so you don’t have to feel bad if you eat half the loaf in one sitting.  Not that I’ve ever done that.  A nice, thick slice tastes great dipped in a warm bowl of chili, or try a piece toasted with a drizzle of some good quality balsamic vinegar, or just slather a piece with some Earth Balance non-dairy buttery spread and go to town.

Fresh out of the oven

Toasted and slathered with Earth Balance

Savory Pumpkin Herb Bread

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (unbleached all-purpose flour works too)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon each basil, parsley, chives

1/2 teaspoon each sage, mild chili powder, onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

A few turns freshly ground black pepper

Wet Ingredients:

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup non-dairy milk

1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat a loaf pan with non-stick spray.  In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flax seeds and water.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, mix together non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar.  Set aside.  In a medium-sized bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Set aside.  Add flax/water mixture, canola oil, and pumpkin puree to the milk mixture.  Using a fork, whisk together the wet ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet.  Using a large spoon, stir until just combined.  Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes or so before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.

**Bonus Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes With Cinnamon Icing and Chocolate Mousse**

And to up the ante, here are a few bonus pictures of the pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes I made for a Halloween party.  There were mini’s for cautious nibblers and standard-sized cupcakes for those needing their sugar fix.  This was probably the tenth time I’ve made these cupcakes; they are that good.  The cupcake recipe along with both frosting recipes are from the cookbook Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero which is one of my favorites.  There isn’t one recipe I’ve tried that hasn’t been the best cupcake I’ve ever tasted.  Just sayin’.