We make lots of quick breads around here. They’re easy to throw together and make a great breakfast. We made this fall inspired version based on Karina’s banana bread recipe. (By the way, the banana bread recipe is awesome.) You’re probably stocking up on pumpkin puree and fresh cranberries anyway, right? Might as well give this recipe a try. ;)
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
- 1/2 cup potato starch
- 1/2 cup sorghum flour
- 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil or light olive oil
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup dry milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, halved
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix the pumpkin puree, oil, sugar, dry milk, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Take care to thoroughly mix.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir to combine, then add in the cranberries.
- Lightly grease a loaf pan. Add the batter. Bake for about 70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Makes about 8 slices
This recipe easily doubles. (We’ve found that even though there’s only the two of us, we still go through quick breads fast.) You could make muffins instead of bread if they are more to your liking, although you’ll probably need to adjust the cooking time down some.
You can use 1 cup of sugar and omit the dry milk. That’s just a trick we learned from Mike’s mom to lessen the amount of sugar included in one’s baking–handy if you’re eating sweet quick breads many days of the week. (Quick note for those who care: If you leave out the dry milk the recipe is vegan.)
Another variant I had pondered was replacing some of the brown sugar with molasses. I’ll have to fiddle around some and see how it works.
There’s something awesome about cooking with xanthan gum.
I’m sure this recipe is perfect the way it is, but I’m a bit of a recipe hacker so I hacked it based on what I had available and on my favorite pumpkin bread recipe that I used to love to make (not gluten free)
I omitted the cranberry, since I didn’t have any, added 1/2 cup extra pumpkin.
I made it less healthy by keeping in the milk powder (I actually upped the amount of milk powder by a bit, I eyeballed it) and also adding extra sugar (white). I blended the sugars and milk powder together and added them to the dry ingredients.
I used different flours, based on what I had…garbanzo, tapioca, rice and almond meal.
instead of the oil I used coconut oil plus 2 eggs.
I added nutmeg, ginger and cloves.
Then when it was finished baking I poked a few holes in the top and smothered the top in a butter, sugar and cinnamon mix then let it cool.
So yeah, lots of changes (sorry) but it was absolutely divine. I’d say better than my previous recipe. It’s so unbelievably moist. The kids asked me to make a double batch next time and it’s hard to save any for my husband coming home, I had to hide half the loaf, they wanted it all. A wonderful indulgent treat.
Ha, well I’m sure it was delicious.
I pretty much love anything with pumpkin, I have a pumpkin cranberry bread recipe on my blog too! Only problem is, when we have it around, we all pig out!!! Kind of like my most recent pumpkin chocolate chip muffins…i caught my daughter trying to sneak one out of the freezer…but i can’t blame her!
Well, you can’t blame her for trying.
I stumbled across this recipe and have to say how wonderful it is. The only thing I used differently is the powdered milk I used a dairy free powdered milk. It is very moist with a very different texture.
Dairy free powdered milk, who knew? Glad you enjoyed it.
I was wondering if you can leave out the cranberries and not bother about adding something else? Or do i have to ad something like nuts etc??
Thanks
I have never tried it without the cranberries. They don’t have much water content so my inclination is to say it would work, but the only way to really know is to try.
Thanks so much for your help.