Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

I was poking around Recipeezaar the other day and came across a few recipes for Pumpkin Bread. I decided I had to have some so I started searching for a gluten-free recipe. The recipe I ended up using is based off of this one: Here. I always try to make my food a little bit healthier than the recipe says. In this case, I decreased the oil from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup and increased the applesauce to 1 full cup. Also, in line with my belief that everything is better with more cinnamon, I doubled the cinnamon and sprinkled some on top of each loaf/muffin.


Recipe makes 6 5.75" x 3" x 2.5" loaves. I made 1 medium sized loaf (slightly larger than 5.75" x 3" x 2.5"), 2 mini loaves and 12 muffins. These came out very moist and delicious. I did not experience any deflating as is typical of GF breads. I gave some to my car-pool buddy and he said it tasted like regular glutened bread! Success!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Flour (gluten-free)*
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• 2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum
• 1/2 tsp Clove
• 1 tsp Allspice
• 1 tsp Nutmeg
• 1 cup White Sugar
• 2/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 15 oz Pumpkin Puree (such as Libby's)
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1/4 cup Canola Oil
• 1 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1 cup Nonfat Milk (or water)

* For the flour mix, I used Bette Hagman's Mix: 2 parts garfava flour, 1 part sorghum flour, 3 parts cornstarch, and 3 parts tapioca flour. Feel free to experiment with your own mix.

Directions:

1. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs.
2. Beat in sugar, pumpkin, applesauce and oil.
3. Whisk together all of the dry ingredients and beat in 1/2 at a time. (I beat in all of the spices and half of the flour at once and then beat the remaining half of the flour)
4. Slowly beat in milk until mixed and there are no flour lumps. Optional: Add 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips.
5. Pour batter into 6 greased and floured small loaf pans until each is about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Be aware that the loaves will rise several inches.
6. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top of each loaf.
7. Bake in preheated oven at 350F for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle of loaf comes out clean. If making muffins, cook at 350F for about 30-35 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Turn loaves upsidedown to remove from pan.
   

I ate 3 of the muffins straight out of the oven while they were still piping hot. The next day I made some apple-butter which complimented the bread perfectly. I stuck the remaining muffins in a bag along with the larger loaf and have been eating it for the past week. I froze the 2 mini loaves, hopefully they thaw well.

Nutritional information:

Be sure to post a review of my recipe on Recipezaar: http://www.recipezaar.com/gluten-free-pumpkin-bread-359480