Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Maple Glaze Recipe
This Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Maple Glaze is a moist, flavorful loaf perfect for autumn or any season. Made with whole wheat pastry flour and natural sweeteners like pure maple syrup and pumpkin puree, it offers a wholesome twist on classic pumpkin bread. Topped with a delicate maple glaze, this bread balances warmth from spices like cinnamon and ginger with a sweet finish, making it an ideal treat for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf, about 10-12 slices
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (75g) butter
- 1 (15 ounce) (425g) can pumpkin puree
- ½ cup (156g) pure maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup (198g) whole wheat pastry flour (or white whole wheat flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon allspice
Maple Glaze
- ½ cup (57g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk (or any milk), if needed to thin glaze
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray it with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Browning the Butter: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Constantly whisk as the butter begins to crackle and foam. After a few minutes, it will brown and develop a golden amber color with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately and pour the browned butter into a medium bowl to stop cooking. Allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes until it’s cool enough to touch.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, pure maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla bean paste. Whisk until smooth. Then whisk in the cooled browned butter until fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, stir together the whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, and allspice until evenly mixed.
- Mix Batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to maintain a tender crumb.
- Bake the Bread: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 50-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool the Bread: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then remove it from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Prepare Maple Glaze: Once the bread is completely cool, whisk together the powdered sugar and pure maple syrup in a small bowl. Add almond milk a little at a time if needed to thin the glaze to a pourable consistency.
- Glaze and Serve: Pour the maple glaze evenly over the cooled pumpkin bread. Slice and serve.
Notes
- You can substitute whole wheat pastry flour with white whole wheat flour for a lighter texture.
- If you prefer a dairy-free version, use a plant-based butter substitute and almond milk as indicated.
- Make sure the browned butter is cool before mixing into the wet ingredients to avoid cooking the eggs.
- Store the pumpkin bread tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container to maintain freshness for up to 4 days.
- This bread can be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature before glazing.
