Alright, the pumpkin spice everything craze is just too much right now.  Remember when we used pumpkin spice to make pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread?  With the crazy popularity of Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spice Latte, some folks interpreted that as free reign to put pumpkin spice in everything.  Now, let’s get one thing straight: pumpkin spice does not have pumpkin in it; rather it is a mixture of spices added to pumpkin to make it taste good. Traditionally it is composed of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, mace, and cloves, however depending on the brand you buy, that may vary.

Besides all the coffee copy-cats out there, pumpkin spice is showing up in products up and down the grocery store aisles:

• Cereal, including Mini Wheats, Cheerios, Life, and Special K
• Pop-tarts
• Oatmeal
• Granola Bars
• Yogurt
• Cookies, including Oreos
• Cake and cookie mixes
• Candy including Hershey’s Kisses and M&M’s
• Ice cream
• Pudding
• Donuts
• Pasta Sauce
• Almonds
• Triscuits
• Chili spice
• …and Bread
  

  

  

  

I’m sure I’m missing plenty of oddballs like pumpkin spice hummus and cream cheese, and whatnot.  But it’s the bread I’m focusing in on here – and not just pumpkin spice bread, but real pumpkin bread.  Pumpkin makes a nice quick bread as it lends a good amount of moisture to the other ingredients, and the mixture of spices that go in really do make it a yummy fall treat.  Since this was for my hubby, I needed to make it gluten free and dairy free.  It made two loaves so I froze one, and when he polished off the first, there was another one waiting for him.  I prefer it toasted with just a touch of melted butter on top, but it’s equally good plain.  To make it more of a dessert, I suspect that adding a vanilla icing glaze on top would be quite tasty.

GF DF Pumpkin Bread

2 cups gluten free all purpose blend, like Bob’s Red Mill
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
½ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (I use Spice Islands)
¾ cup coconut oil at room temp
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 15 ounce can of pumpkin (not the pie filling, just pure pumpkin)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, salt, and pumpkin spice.  In a separate bowl, beat the coconut oil and sugar until well blended, then add the eggs, beating with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes.  Add the pumpkin and mix on low until well blended.  Slowly add in the flour mixture a little at a time, incorporating it completely before adding more.  The batter is going to be very thick and sticky, so your mixer is going to have work hard.  Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.  (I’ve found that letting gluten free doughs and batters rest helps reduce graininess)

Prepare two 8” loaf pans with non-stick spray or grease them that sprinkle flour over it to coat the bottom and sides of the pans.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Split the batter evenly between the two pans, spreading it to make it even on top and bake for 1 hour, testing after 50 minutes.  A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean when done.  Let cool in the pans for about 10 minutes then carefully turn out onto cooling racks.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze.