Best Healthy Pumpkin Bread | Gluten-Free & Refined Sugar-Free
This healthy pumpkin bread is incredibly moist and tender, with a rich pound-cake-style crumb and thick bakery-style slices. A cinnamon and coconut sugar ribbon brings warm sweetness to the center. Finish it with peanut butter cream cheese frosting and swirls of homemade coconut caramel, or enjoy it plain. Both toppings are optional.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1½ cups oat flour 180 g, see Note 3
- ½ cup almond flour 56 g
- ½ cup lupin flour about 50 g
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ⅓ tsp fine sea salt
- 1½ tbsp Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice see Note 6
Wet Ingredients:
- ¾ cup thick pumpkin puree 180 g, see Note 5
- 2 large eggs + 1 large egg white at room temperature
- ¾ cup total coconut sugar and brown monk fruit sweetener half of each, or use either sweetener on its own (see Note 1)
- ⅓ cup butter 76 g, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon-Sugar Ribbon:
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp coconut sugar brown monk fruit sweetener, or a mixture of both
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting, Optional:
- 150 g cream cheese softened
- 1½ tbsp smooth natural peanut butter with no added sugar (see Note 2)
- 1½ tbsp coconut sugar
- 1½ tbsp brown monk fruit sweetener
- ¼ cup full-fat whipping cream 60 ml, cold
Coconut Caramel, Optional:
- ¼ cup coconut cream 60 ml
- ¼ cup coconut sugar about 50 g
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and PanPreheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) conventional or 160°C (320°F) fan-forced. Line a 20 × 10 cm loaf pan with baking paper, leaving enough overhang to lift out the loaf.
- Mix the Dry IngredientsIn a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, lupin flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and the full homemade pumpkin spice blend.
- Mix the Wet IngredientsIn a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and egg white. Add the pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, brown monk fruit sweetener, melted butter and vanilla, then whisk until smooth. Stir in the apple cider vinegar or lemon juice last.
- Combine the BatterAdd the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Fold gently just until no dry flour remains. Do not overmix.
- Add the Cinnamon-Sugar RibbonSpread half of the batter into the prepared pan. Mix the cinnamon with the 2 teaspoons of sweetener, sprinkle it evenly over the batter, then cover with the remaining batter and smooth the top.
- BakeBake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs. Meanwhile, prepare the optional frosting and coconut caramel.
- Make the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese FrostingBeat the softened cream cheese, peanut butter, coconut sugar and brown monk fruit sweetener until smooth. Add the cold whipping cream and beat until thick and creamy. Cover the surface directly and refrigerate until needed.
- Make the Coconut CaramelCombine the coconut cream and coconut sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring regularly, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and cool.
- Rest and CoolTurn off the oven and leave the loaf inside with the door slightly ajar for 5 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack, then use the baking paper to lift out the loaf. Cool completely before decorating.
- Frost and DecorateSpread the chilled peanut butter cream cheese frosting over the completely cooled loaf. Drizzle with the cooled coconut caramel and gently swirl. Slice into 12 pieces and serve.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- Coconut Sugar & Brown Monk Fruit Sweetener: I use half coconut sugar and half brown monk fruit sweetener. Either can be used alone, but sweetness, browning, texture and nutrition may vary.
- Homemade Peanut Butter: I use my Easy Homemade Roasted Peanut Butter, made with 100% peanuts and no added sugar or oil.
- Homemade Oat Flour: Blend rolled oats in a high-speed blender until finely ground, then measure the flour by weight for accuracy.
- Oats & Gluten-Free Diets: Use certified gluten-free oat flour where available and suitable. In Australia and New Zealand, oats cannot be labelled gluten-free under local standards. People with coeliac disease should follow advice from their medical or dietetic professional.
- Thick Pumpkin Puree: Use thick pumpkin puree rather than a watery puree for the best texture. I recommend my How to Make Pumpkin Purée 2 Ways.
- Pumpkin Spice: Use 1½ tablespoons of my Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice.
- Do Not Overmix: Fold only until the flour disappears. Overmixing can make the loaf dense.
- Baking & Cooling: Oven temperatures vary. Check from 40 minutes and cool completely before adding the frosting.
- Storage: Store the plain loaf in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Refrigerate any loaf topped with cream cheese frosting.
Nutrition Facts per Serving, Pumpkin Bread Only
Based on the coconut sugar and brown monk fruit sweetener version, without the optional frosting or coconut caramel. Nutrition per serving: 1 of 12 slices, Calories: 237 kcal, Protein: 8.1 g, Carbohydrate: 27.9 g, Sugars: 13.7 g, Fat: 11.3 g, Saturated Fat: 4.4 g, Fiber: 3.4 g, Sodium: 203 mg, Magnesium: 79 mgPeanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting per Serving
Calories: 61 kcal, Protein: 1.4 g, Carbohydrate: 3.2 g, Sugars: 2.8 g, Fat: 4.9 g, Saturated Fat: 2.6 g, Fiber: 0.1 g, Sodium: 62 mg, Magnesium: 5 mgCoconut Caramel per Serving
Calories: 28 kcal, Protein: 0.3 g, Carbohydrate: 3.1 g, Sugars: 2.5 g, Fat: 1.8 g, Saturated Fat: 1.6 g, Fiber: 0.3 g, Sodium: 18 mg, Magnesium: 6 mgNutrition Facts Notes
✔️ Protein & Fiber: Lupin flour, almond flour, oat flour and eggs contribute protein, while the three flours also provide fiber. ✔️ Homemade Pumpkin Puree: Pumpkin contributes color, moisture and naturally occurring carotenoids. ✔️ Magnesium: Almond flour, lupin flour and oats naturally provide magnesium. ✔️ No Refined White Sugar: The loaf uses coconut sugar and brown monk fruit sweetener instead of refined white sugar. ✔️ Optional Toppings: The frosting and coconut caramel are optional and their nutrition is listed separately.
Nutrition Disclaimer: I am a recipe developer, not a registered dietitian or nutritionist. Nutrition values are estimates based on 12 slices and vary with ingredient brands, substitutions, and serving size. The plain loaf figures exclude both optional toppings.
Important Allergy Note: This recipe contains almond, egg, milk and lupin. The optional frosting also contains peanut. Lupin is a legume and may cause allergic reactions, particularly in some people with peanut allergy. If you have a peanut or lupin allergy, consult your allergy specialist before using lupin flour.
