Surprisingly Good

UPDATED 2020

Our niece, Emily, will be visiting next weekend and is allergic to wheat, so I thought I would try making gluten free pumpkin bread .  I made two loaves.

One for us to try now, and one to freeze for her visit.  The one I made with Libbey's pumpkin turned out better than the one I made with organic Wegman's pumpkin.  Not sure why.

The texture isn't like a regular pumpkin bread, but more like a pudding cake.  Very moist and very pumpkin-y.

For a recipe, it's from my go-to resource for baking, King Arthur Flour which I copied from their website.

---Barbara

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

AT A GLANCE

PREP

15 mins.

BAKE

60 mins. to 1 hrs 5 mins.

TOTAL

1 hrs 15 mins. to 1 hrs 20 mins.

YIELD

one 9" loaf, about 18 servings

This moist, nicely spicy pumpkin loaf is so good, you'd never suspect it's both gluten-free and dairy-free.

• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 can (15-ounce) pumpkin purée
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 3/4 cups King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour or brown rice flour blend*
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or substitute 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
• up to 1 cup chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or other add-ins
• *See recipe for this blend below.

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" x 5" loaf inch pan.
2. Whisk together the eggs, molasses, pumpkin purée and oil. Set aside.
3. Whisk together the gluten-free flour or brown rice flour blend, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
4. Add the egg mixture about half at a time, whisking until combined after each addition. Stir in any desired add-ins.
5. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar, if desired.
6. Bake the bread for 60 to 65 minutes, until the middle springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the top-center comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool completely for easiest slicing.
7. Store, well-wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
8. Yield: 1 loaf, about 18 servings.
9. *Make your own blend
   Many of our gluten-free recipes use our King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour, which includes ingredients that reduce the grittiness sometimes found in gluten-free baked goods. Our flour also increases the shelf life of your treats, keeping them fresh longer.
   
   The following make-at-home blend, featuring stabilized brown rice flour, works pretty well when substituted; and it tastes better than a blend using regular brown rice flour.
   
   Whisk together 6 cups (28 1/2 ounces) King Arthur stabilized brown rice flour; 2 cups (10 3/4 ounces) potato starch; and 1 cup (4 ounces) tapioca flour or tapioca starch. Store airtight at room temperature. Note: You can substitute white rice flour for the brown rice flour if you like; it'll make your baked goods grittier (unless you manage to find a finely ground version).

I started by making the blend of flour recommended, because I couldn't find the King Arthur gluten free flour.

Our grocery store now has a gluten free section so it was easy to find all three ingredients. The xanthan gum, a thickening agent, was also easy to find among the Red Mill brand.

It is an easy recipe.  I prepared the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another, larger bowl and chose to add dark chocolate chips as my add-in.

Then, the wet ingredients are mixed into the dry, and the chips stirred in.  Pour into a well-greased pan and bake for 60-65 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  (I wish I had let mine bake another 5 minutes.)

I would normally make Fanny Farmer's pumpkin bread which is now featured on the home page of Feast Everyday, click here.  Or Laddie's Pumpkin Bread, click here, which was sent in by Colleen in 2010.  Or I make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins when we have guests, click here.

But I must say, this is a fine pumpkin bread recipe, gluten free and all.

B