Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.
~Samuel Butler

I miss being able to eat my mama’s pumpkin bread! She got the recipe from her great-aunt Hattie and made loaves every year. If you can eat gluten, I highly recommend adding this treat to your repertoire! (This is adjusted for high altitude. If you live below 3,000 feet, you might try doubling the amount of baking soda to 2 1/2 tsp.)

pumpkinbreadorigrecipecard

But if you need to avoid gluten — or want to bless a friend who must be cautious, I’m thrilled to share my adaptation. This tender, sturdy snacking cake is fantastic on its own, and it can also hold up to frosting. I recommend plain DF cream cheese (try whipping it for easy spreading).

A few notes for the cake to get you started:

  • Use a stand mixer.
  • Use plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Even better if you can roast and purée your own pumpkins!
  • Don’t skip sifting the dry ingredients. Even the finest-ground oat flour can have a few groats that should be removed.
  • This recipe is for high altitude — tested at 6,000 to 8,000 feet. If you live lower, you might try doubling the baking soda to 1 tsp.
GF/DF Pumpkin Cake (Soy-Free and Refined Sugar-Free)
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8x8 pan. (I use a glass dish rubbed with coconut oil. If baked goods tend to stick to your pans, you can grease and flour.)
  2. Cream:
    2 eggs
    1/2 c. coconut sugar
    1/4 c. maple syrup
    1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
    3/4 c. puréed pumpkin 
    1/4 c. olive oil
  3. Sift together and add to wet ingredients:
    3/4 tsp. cinnamon
    1/2 tsp. nutmeg
    1/8 tsp. ground ginger
    1/8 tsp. ground cloves
    1/8 tsp. ground mace
    1/2 tsp. baking soda
    1/4 tsp. salt
    1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
    1/4 c. arrowroot powder
    1/4 c. + 1 Tbsp. oat flour
    1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. coconut flour (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill. Other brands aren’t as finely ground.)
  4. Let batter rest in mixer for 30 minutes.
  5. Add:
    1/4 c. chopped pecans.
  6. Mix again for 1 minute.
  7. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes (rotate halfway through), until a toothpick comes out clean. (Don’t be tempted to remove too early. GF flours need longer bake time to absorb moisture so the end result isn’t gummy.)
  8. Let cool in pan completely before cutting. 
  9. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for three days or the freezer for three months.

Enjoy with a cup of tea — preferably on the porch while watching the colors change!

GrandmaRoseHenry
© 2021 Carol Stillings