Things I learned since moving to Belgium:
They do not sell canned pumpkin puree here.
Chia seeds and a lot of other superrr foods are only sold in special shops.
And everything in those special ships is wayyyy overpriced.
I mean, who can afford 8 euros for a tiny bag of chia seeds that will last me less than a couple weeks?! Or 9 euros for a tiny jar of almond butter? I quickly learned that spending over 16 euros a month on seeds and 18 euros a month on nut butters was not going to be an option in this student’s budget. So I started making nut butters at home and stocking up on jumbo sized superfoods at Costco whenever I go home. This girl cannot live without her giant bag of chia seeds, seriously.
It’s always a good conversation starter with people in the airport when I am lugging around a second suitcase in the form of a huge Costco bag with me. I’ve been asked on several occasions, “what’s in the bag?”. People are naturally curious and love good food in bulk I guess. They are usually a bit shocked when I tell them it’s full of nuts, seeds and emergency nut butters 😉 #healthfoodieproblems
But easy, prepared, canned pumpkin puree is one thing that I could never manage to bring back with me. It is just too heavy to lug back across the ocean. So each week, during the Fall, I roast two sugar pumpkins at home and fill a jumbo Tupperware full of homemade, sweet and fresh pumpkin puree. I’m just that much of a pumpkin addict this time of year. Keep the pumpkin recipes a-coming!
And in line with my pumpkin fanaticism – I’m also a pumpkin bread fanatic. I love soft, fluffy and moist pumpkin bread that is perfectly spiced with nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon. And this Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Maple Pecan Crumble fits the bill, it is infused with maple undertones, crunchy and buttery pecans throughout and topped off with a sweet and crumbly pecan maple crumble for good measure. And like most of my breads on this blog, this Healthy Pumpkin Bread is much better for you than your traditional loaf using only 1/4 cup of coconut oil and skipping out on refined sugar altogether. I sweetened this Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Maple Pecan Crumble using brown cane sugar and good ol’ maple syrup (my sweetener of choice!).
This Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Maple Pecan Crumble comes together similar to most traditional decadent bread/cake recipes. Start off by making the crumble in a small bowl by adding the ingredients and mashing them together with a fork until a crumbly mixture is formed. Taste test the crumble – I could eat this crumble raw by the spoonful (#letsbehonest). Mix the dry ingredients with the spices in a medium size bowl. Feel free to adjust the spices if you are super sensitive to ginger, cinnamon or nutmeg. I personally love a well spiced loaf and love when my entire apartment smells like a pumpkin spice candle 😉 Whisk the wet ingredients in a large size bowl. Slowly fold in the dry ingredients to the wet pumpkin mixture. Adding a splash or two of extra of almond milk if necessary, this will depend on how moist your pumpkin puree is. Pour your pumpkin bread batter into a loaf pan and top it off by sprinkling the Maple Pecan Crumble mixture on top. Bake at 350 for 40 – 45 mins. The amount of time this load spends in the oven depends on how well done you like your loaf (and on your oven, of course). I love when my pumpkin bread is still super moist in the middle so I take it out at 40 minutes. #nomnomnom.
If you do try this Healthy Pumpkin Bread Vegan with Maple Pecan Crumble or any other recipes of mine, I love hearing about it! Insta or Tweet it to me (@cearaskitchen with hashtag #cearaskitchen) or Facebook it to me via the Ceara’s Kitchen Facebook Page! 🙂
- 3 tbsp pecans, chopped
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (*solid state*) *see note for substitutions
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp flour
- 3 tbsp oats
- 2 cups flour (white whole wheat or white spelt flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp sea salt or pink himalayan salt
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 3 tbsp pecans, chopped
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 1½ cups pumpkin puree
- 4 tbsp *melted* coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup brown cane sugar (or brown sugar)
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Oil a standard loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or coconut oil.
- Make the crumble by adding the chopped pecans, coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, oats and flour in a small bowl. Mash them together with a fork until a slightly wet crumbly mixture is formed. Add a bit more flour/oil if necessary.
- In a medium size bowl add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg). Mix the ingredients until the spices are evenly dispersed. Adjust the spices if you are sensitive to ginger, cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Add the vinegar and milk to a large size bowl. Let it sit for a minute before adding the rest of the wet ingredients. This is a vegan 'buttermilk'. Add the rest of the wet ingredients (pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, melted coconut oil cane sugar and maple syrup) and whisk them together until fluffy.
- Adding half the dry ingredients at a time, slowly fold in the dry ingredients to the wet pumpkin mixture until the dry ingredients are *just* combined. Do not over mix to ensure a fluffy loaf! Add a splash or two of extra of almond milk in necessary
- Pour your pumpkin bread batter into a loaf pan and top it off by sprinkling the Maple Pecan Crumble mixture on top.
- Bake for 40 - 45 mins. The amount of time this loaf spends in the oven depends on how well done you like your loaf (and on your oven, of course). Test the loaf at 40 minutes. The loaf is ready when an inserted toothpick comes out clear.
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It was definitely good, but not the pumpkin bread I was craving. I am used to more fluffy, pumpkin-y, spicy breads, this was very moist (almost sticky), and less pumpkin-y and spicy, even though I probably doubled or even tripled the spices. Still delicious, but not as I had hoped.
Good flavor, but too dense for my liking.
Wow! I did a lot of substitutions and this came out amazing! I can’t have sugar or gluten so… I used bobs red mill gluten free all purpose flour and omitted the maple sugar. I used liquid vanilla stevia (1tablespoon) and added stevia sweetened vegan chocolate chips. I did not use the pecan topping either. But it came out awesome! A big treat for me. Hope this helps anyone with dietary restrictions. I’ll be making and playing around more with this recipe.
This turned out ahmazing!! It did take about 15-20 min longer to bake, I had to put some tin foil on top after the 45 min mark. The only down side is the delicious crumb topping falls off too easily! I was thinking next time I make this (tonight) I will sandwich it between layers and see how that turns out!
So happy you enjoyed the pumpkin bread and thank you for the lovely feedback 🙂 You have to press the crumble lightly into the bread before baking it so it doesn’t crumble off.
I would love to know how it turns out with the crumble in between – yum!!
I made this as muffins without the topping and added some dark chocolate chips.
Amazing.
Thank you for the awesome feedback, Jo! So happy you enjoyed the pumpkin bread! 🙂
Hey! I don’t know if you got my tag on Instagram but this turned out SO good. Took about 55-60 minutes to fully bake through, and it’s yummyyyy. I brought it to wok and everyone loves it 🙂
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Kim!! I just saw your tag on insta now – thanks so much for sharing your gorgeous picture!! Have a great week 🙂
Dis be in mah oven!! I am soo excited. I had to make a couple changes to the recipe based on what I had at home; will update you on the results!
8 euros for a teeny bag of chia seeds?! I’d DIE!!! This bread…it’s everything. Love.
Thank you, Joel. I’ve sent out my olive branch (and have had good responses You’re right, I really do think we need to dig in and fight harder for our friendships to last. It’s funny the older and the busier I get, the more I crave those steady, true friendships. Here’s hoping for it!
Yum, this looks delicious! I made a pumpkin loaf a few years ago, and it was so good I ate the whole thing in a day…then I realized how much oil there was in it and was horrified! Your bread sounds like a much better option, and that crumble…I’m drooling!
the bread looks fantastic! and I don’t understand why everything is so pricey in Europe..I lived in Scotland for 1.5 years and I understand the pain!
Well this looks amazing. I feel the Euro burn – healthy super foods in Europe are SO expensive. When I traveled in Europe, it pained me to have to shell out all the big notes for simple things like Chia Seed and walnuts. Oy.
What do you do in Belgium? How exciting that you get to live there! It is on my list of places to go!
Gah- those prices for almond butter and chia seeds are pretty scary. It’s well-worth it to me to stock up at Costco! That place is a goldmine :). But let’s talk about this bread. I’m seriously drooling over how moist it is and that crumble!!! GIMMME. Fab recipe and gorgeous photos! I want a slice right now to go along with my morning coffee :).
Hiiii Ceara, thank you so much for your comments while I was away. I’m back and catching up with your blog. I didn’t know you are in Belgium, Antwerp(en) is such a lovely city…and I can imagine these products are hard to find! Actually chia seeds are pretty expensive for us here in the U.S. Wow, this is stunning…pecans, pumpkn, cinnamon and maple syrup…I love the combination of this…this looks delicious with a cup of English breakfast tea!
Rika! I am so happy you are backk and hope you had a wonderful trip!!!! I’ve lived in Belgium for the past year – I’m a grad student here. Antwerp is a seriously cool city filled with lots of fun stuff! I love it! I totally agree with you, chia seeds are pretty expensive in the US and Canada too but they are suppaaa expensive here (they haven’t caught on yet hehe) so believe it or not, it is actually cheaper for me to stuck up when I’m home and take them back with me when I come! And thank you so much for the sweet words – this pumpkin loaf would go perfectly with a warming cup of tea 🙂
That’s so fun that your in Belgium!! What a blast… sorry that they don’t sell canned pumpkin!! Haha!! But, regardless this looks delicious! …and it’s refined sugar free!! Way to be girl!
Thanks for the kind words Cailee!!
That bread is stunning! Pinning for inspiration to come up with a gluten free version 🙂
I totally hear you on how expensive all these little food “luxuries” are out of the US! I’ve lived in Asia for 5 years now, and I just pack my bags full of chia, whey protein, almond butter, real vanilla, spices, etc., when I’m back in the States- you should see me dragging all my packed-to-the-max suitcases through the airport all by myself! It’s pretty hilarious. It costs the equivalent of US$20 for a jar of AB here, and that’s only when you can find it, which might be once a year. Shopping here for imported stuff is like going on a treasure hunt. Once in a while they’ll have something, then I might not see it for a year or two, or maybe never! I can buy canned pumpkin here, but it’s expensive, not available (because it sells out) from August-December) often, and fresh local pumpkins are super cheap (like $1 for a 4 lb squash!). I’m in love with homemade pumpkin puree now- will never buy it again!
Thanks for the kind words, stopping by and the pin Michelle! I am happy to hear that I am not the only one who lugs back tons of health food goodies across the ocean 😉 20 dollars for a bar of almond butter is ridiculous! I can totally related to bringing back vanilla extract (it’s the little things you miss and can’t find!). I love that you make homemade pumpkin puree as well – 1 dollar for a 4 lb squash is a steal 🙂
MMmmmmmm trying this stuff out tonight…..looks fabulous!!!! And if I may, so do you 😉
Yay! Let me know how it goes 🙂 Thanks!!!
Aah you live in Belgium, me too (in Bruges)! You’re right, everything in the healthfood stores is crazy expensive. Last few months things like chia seeds are getting more popular though, hopefully prices will lower over time 😉
Yay for living in Belgium! How fun that you live in Bruges! Bruges is probably my favorite spot in Belgium – it is so beautiful! I ran the 15k race there a few months ago! Thanks for stopping by Johanana! 🙂
Yum this looks delicious, I made a pumpkin bread yesterday and can’t stop eating it! I know what you mean about the health shops I used to live in Barcelona and the health food was extortionate!
Thanks Tamzin! How fun that you lived in Barcelona!! I can’t believe I haven’t made it there yet! Hehe and to find some good health shops where I live did take some searching!! I finally found a local, organic shop where I like to shop but it is sooooo expensive, so I only get a few ‘goodies’ there 😉
THIS LOOKS SO GOOD! I’M HUNGRY 🙂
Hehe, wish I could send you some!! <3
This looks delicious. I bet it tastes amazing too.
Hehe, yes it does!! Thanks Dannii!!
This looks incredible Ceara! I’ll can just imagine how amazing this tasted with your own pumpkin puree too 🙂 And that maple pecan topping sounds mouthwatering!
Thanks for the kind words Kelly – the maple pecan crumble is totally mouthwatering 🙂
Oh man, I want a slice of this so bad! So perfect for fall.
Thanks Katrina 🙂 I need a slice of your Pumpkin Pecan Pie as well 🙂
Ceara, this pumpkin bread looks like complete perfection!! Moist and what a gorgeous color! I love pumpkin bread and all the spices…so dang good 🙂
Thank you so much for the kind words 😀 You are soo right pumpkin bread is just dang amazingg!
Your home roasted pumpkin puree is probably much better than the canned stuff! how fun! It is hard to think what it would be like if I couldn’t get whatever kind of food I wanted whenever I wanted it, I guess I’m a little spoiled when it comes to food! This maple pecan pumpkin bread sounds heavenly and I wish I had some for dessert right now 😉
You are so right – the homemade stuff is super yummy!! Thanks for the sweet words Isadora 🙂 Wish I could send you some across the ocean for dessert!
Oh my gosh. No pumpkin readily available at all times?! I’d go crazy. But that’s pretty su-weet that you make your own pumpkin puree! Speaking of which, this bread?! My face kinda needs it. Totally loving that pecan topping!
Hehe, yep! Thank god I’ve gotten quick at making homemade roasted pumpkin puree or I don’t know what I’d do 😉 Thanks for the kind words Sarah!
Now I have a major major craving for pumpkin bread…I wonder why?! 😉 Your photos are fantastic! I can’t believe pumpkin is hard to find there! I would be so sad without it!
Hehe, Thanks Maebells! Hehe, they do sell frozen pumpkin chunks here and full sugar pumpkins but no pumpkin puree! Did for sure take some getting used to 😉
Ceara, your healthy pecan pumpkin bread looks so delcious. I honestly enjoy your healthy, delcious and good looking posts. There is always something new to learn over here. Great job Ceara!!
Thank you Hadia for your lovely words – they mean a lot to me 🙂 I am in love with your delicious Lebanese cuisine as well – it always inspires me in the kitchen 🙂
THAT BREAD – LOOKS SOOOOOOO MOIST! I would eat the whole loaf – so I am no sure I should make it! LOL!
Hehe, it is supperrr moistt!!! 🙂 I had the same problem with not eating the entire thing – it is soo yummy!!
This bread looks beautiful Ceara! Great job making it vegan! I love the combo of pumpkin and pecans! Pinned!
Thanks Mira for the kind words and the pin 🙂 Pumpkin and Pecans make a delicious combo!
Oh gosh this looks so good! Thank god for your emergency Costco bag!!! 🙂
Thanks so much Shundara!! Hehe, yep! Thank god for the emergency Costco bag 🙂
I love that there is no refined sugar. And I think I’ve decided I can only live in the US. I couldn’t live without Graham Crackers, Golden Oreos, pudding mix, and pumpkin puree!
Thanks for the kind words Dorothy – I love cooking with brown cane sugar and maple syrup 🙂 Hehe I totally had to make a few adjustments since moving here and bringing the Cotsco bag full of goodies (and ordering things online) helps me with all the goodies I can’t live without 😉
It’s a good thing you can stock up on those goodies at Costco! Isn’t it a life saver? I don’t know what I would do without pumpkin and chia seeds! 🙂 This pumpkin bread with the maple pecan crumble looks amazing, Ceara! And I’m the same as you, I’m a pumpkin bread fanatic, though I haven’t made it this year yet! That has definitely got to change with this recipe. Pinned!
Cotsco is such a lifesaver Gayle! I honestly miss my Costco runs and wish I could transplant a Costco here in Belgium 🙂 I even get my workout clothing there (best workout clothing ever!!) Thank you for the kind words and the pin!