Hazelnut Pumpkin Bread

I received free samples from Cumberland Packing Corp., maker of Monk Fruit In The Raw. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Cumberland Packing Corp. and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

On a particularly dreary and rainy day last week, I decided to treat myself to a day of cooking and baking (yes, this is what I consider a treat).  I was planning on making banana bread because what could possibly make a rainy morning better than freshly baked banana bread and a hot cup of coffee?  Somehow, I managed to not have any bananas (whaaaaaaat?!?!).  But I did have pumpkin puree.  So much pumpkin puree.  So instead, I opted for pumpkin bread.

Let me just take a moment here to discuss pumpkin with you.  I love all things pumpkin.  Pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin muffins – if it has pumpkin in it, I am a happy girl.  I eat pumpkin things all year round.  I stock up on cans of pumpkin puree every fall and pray that they will last me through the spring and summer until the next September when they finally appear on the shelves again.  I just can’t get enough pumpkin.

Pumpkin bread happens to be one of my favorites, but I’d never actually made it before, so this was an experiment to begin with.  Then I decided to use my sample of Monk Fruit in the Raw for a Recipe ReDux contest.  Monk Fruit in the Raw is a no calorie sweetener made from monk fruit, which is a fruit that is (weirdly) naturally calorie free.  I probably should have used it on a recipe I was already used to, but I ignored the basic rules of good baking and went on with the experiment.  The result was a pumpkin bread full of spices and crunch and lower in calories, but it’s also totally delicious

Hazelnut Pumpkin Bread

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cups white whole wheat flour

1/4 cup Monk Fruit in the Raw*

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup pumpkin puree (about half a can)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 tablespoons water

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (you can totally use walnuts or pepitas here, too)

*If you’re not using Monk Fruit in the Raw, you can replace it with regular or brown sugar in this recipe.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

1.  Whisk together all the dry ingredients (except the nuts) in a large mixing bowl.  In a smaller bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, oil, and water. 

2.  Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold or mix until everything is just combined.  Then fold in the nuts (if using), but reserve some to sprinkle on the top.  Evenly spread the bread through the pan, and top with extra nuts.

3.  Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour.  The top should be golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

4.  Let cool for 10-15 minutes, then serve warm.

Enjoy!