Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin bread means it’s officially fall! After a few weeks of testing, I’m happy to share this vegan pumpkin bread that’s incredibly moist and perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Made with no eggs and whole wheat flour, it’s a simple pumpkin bread you’ll come back to again and again!
I brought this pumpkin bread to school pickup yesterday, along with a jar of my pumpkin butter for a snack and when both the adults and kids asked for seconds, then I knew I had found a winning bread.
That’s really when I know something is good– I love almost everything that comes out of my kitchen but when friends agree, then I know it’s worth sharing. This vegan pumpkin bread is so incredibly moist, thanks to the combination of pumpkin and oil along with a tender crumb, thanks to the mix of molasses, baking soda and vinegar.
It’s almost a gingerbread-like pumpkin bread as I added in plenty of warm spices to give every bite so much flavor. Try it on it’s own or like I love it, with a smear of butter or cream cheese (dairy-free works too) and a little pumpkin butter, pear butter or apple butter for a little more sweetness and texture.
Ingredient Notes
- Whole Wheat Flour: I like a combo of both all-purpose and whole whear flour to keep the bread soft, but a little more nutritious than using just all-purpose flour
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar has added molasses to it, which means it adds in more moisture to this pumpkin bread than using regular cane sugar
- Spices: If you have pumpkin pie spice, use 3 1/2 teaspoons instead or the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and ginger. I really love cloves so I sometimes add a little more, but that’s up to you!
- Pumpkin Puree: Making sure that it’s 100% pure pumpkin as the pumpkin puree is often on the same shelf as pumpkin pie filling, and pumpkin pie filling won’t work
- Molasses: Regular, unsulphured molasses! I don’t like blackstrap as it’s more bitter. The molasses will also add a nice color
- Buttermilk: The DIY buttermilk of combining dairy-free milk or choice with vinegar makes for a more tender bread, especially when combined with the baking soda (and molasses!)
How to Make this Vegan Pumpkin Bread (Step-by-Step Photos)
Step 1: Make the DIY Buttermilk
This is an important step! Combine together the milk and the vinegar in a medium bowl and let curdle while you mix together the dry ingredients.
Step 2: Mix together the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the dry– the flours, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and all the spices.
Step 3: Combine the wet
Add the rest of the wet ingredients to your DIY buttermilk; the pumpkin puree, oil, molasses, and vanilla. If you want to do this in just one bowl, then you can but you’ll still need to make your own buttermilk. In that case, make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients then add the buttermilk and rest of the wet.
Step 4: Stir together
Stir together but take care to not overmix as this will make for a tough pumpkin bread! Stir just until you see no more flour, that’s it! Then pour into a greased 9-inch loaf pan.
Step 5: Bake and COOL
Bake the pumpkin bread until a toothpick comes out clean in the center, about 55 to 60 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Then remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan, then remove and place on a wire rack to let cool for another hour before slicing. This is because egg-free quick breads will continue to set as they cool and slicing this pumpkin bread while warm can make the inside gummy.
Expert Tips for Moist Pumpkin Bread
- Weigh: I highly recommend weighing your ingredients! I do this more often when baking because it’s so much easier than measuring and this helps to make sure you have the right amount of flour. Packed flour makes a dry, dense loaf. Metric weights are included in the recipe card, make sure to toggle on conversions.
- Pack the brown sugar: Make sure to pack the brown sugar to get a full cup of the sugar; you’ll need it for rise, texture and sweetness.
- Don’t overmix!: Overmixing the bread overdevelops the gluten and makes a pumpkin bread more tough and tunneled. Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears.
- Check around 50 minutes: Oven temperatures can vary, so check around the 50 minute mark. The center is what will take the longest to set– do a quick finger check by pressing the center down lightly and a toothpick in the center. As this bread is so moist, I find that’s the best way to check for doneness.
- Let cool: This is really important to prevent a gummy bread! Let it cool before slicing.
Add-ins and variations
You can totally add in whatever you like to this vegan pumpkin bread! My kids love chocolate and I love toasted walnuts– we tested both and they work! Dried cranberries for a holiday loaf is nice, as is sprinkling a little pepitas and course sugar on top of the batter before baking for an extra-pumpkin loaf.
If you want to do add-ins, use 1/2-3/4 cup of chocolate chips, toasted nuts or dried cranberries. Fold these in right after the batter comes together.
How to store and freeze
- Room temperature: Wrap this pumpkin bread well or keep it in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Fridge: Enjoy baked pumpkin bread in the fridge for pp to 1 week, though it’s best the first 2-3 days after making. This bread will become denser when cold, so toast slices or let them come to room temperature before serving.
- Freezer: Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices, wrapped tightly, for up to 3 months. Thaw slices on the counter, or toast them straight from frozen.
What to do with leftover pumpkin?
I know it’s annoying not to use an entire can of pumpkin. I really tried to make a bread that used an entire can, but it just didn’t work, especially in a vegan version. That bread was too moist and had very little crumb.
If you use a 15 ounce can, then you’ll have about 3/4 cup of leftover pumpkin puree. Use it in my pumpkin butter (which is so yummy on this bread), my no-bake pumpkin balls, or pumpkin waffles.
Leftover puree keeps about 5 days in the fridge, or you can freeze it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my pumpkin bread gummy in the middle?
If your pumpkin bread is gummy in the center, then it was either slightly underbaked or sliced while too warm. Make sure to bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs on it, then let cool before cutting.
Can I use only all-purpose flour?
Yes. Replace the whole wheat flour with ¾ cup all-purpose flour. The loaf will be a little lighter in color and texture.
Can I use fresh pumpkin purée?
I don’t recommend using fresh puree as homemade puree is often wetter than canned. If you wan to use fresh, let it drain in a fine-mesh strainer for 30 minutes first or the bread may be too dense.
Can I make this pumpkin bread gluten-free?
I haven’t tested it gluten-free. A 1:1 gluten-free baking blend with xanthan gum is the best bet in place of both flours.
What can I use instead of molasses?
Maple syrup works in the same amount. You’ll lose some of the deep, gingerbread-like flavor, and the loaf will be a bit lighter in color.
If you make this vegan pumpkin bread, make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating! Your feedack helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day.
Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
For the Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1/3 cup dairy-free milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a glass loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the milk and vinegar and let sit for a few minutes to curdle while you mix your dry ingredients together.
- In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the dry: the flours, sugar, baking soda, powder, salt and spices
- Add to the milk bowl: the pumpkin puree, oil, molasses and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Add the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean in the middle. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and place on an wire rack and let it cool completely, at least 1 hour before slicing. Egg-free quick bread finish cooking as they cool and slicing them warm can make them gummy.