Fluffiest Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread (Not Dense!)

This gluten free pumpkin bread has a trick up its sleeve that changes everything - heating the canned pumpkin on the stovetop removes extra moisture and concentrates the pumpkin spice flavor for a loaf that's ultra moist, light, and fluffy instead of dense and compressed. It's the easiest hack for the best GF pumpkin loaf you've made, and it yields two full loaves.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 52

Total Time 1 7

Servings

Author Melissa Erdelac

Ingredients

Streusel Topping:

1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter softened
⅓ cup (74 g) packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon gluten-free all purpose flour (I use and recommend Cup4Cup)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

15 ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree I recommend Libby's brand
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (234 g) packed brown sugar
4 ounces (112 g) cream cheese softened and chopped into pieces
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup (109 g) oil any preferred
¼ cup (61 g) milk or non-dairy milk
2 ½ cups (385 g) gluten-free all purpose flour (I use and recommend Cup4Cup)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8 ½" X 4 ½" loaf pans. Set aside.
In a small bowl place all the streusel topping ingredients. Use fingers to rub the butter into the dry ingredients or use a fork to combine thoroughly. Set aside.
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, ⅓ cup packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon gluten-free all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt
In a large saucepan (all the ingredients will be added to the saucepan, so make sure it is big enough) combine the canned pumpkin, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Cook and stir over medium heat for 7-8 minutes. The mixture will reduce as the liquid from the pumpkin evaporates.
15 ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree, 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Remove from heat and add sugar, brown sugar, and cream cheese. Whisk vigorously until cream cheese melts and smoothly combines in the mixture.
1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 4 ounces cream cheese
Add eggs, vanilla, milk, and oil. Whisk to combine.
4 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ cup oil, ¼ cup milk or non-dairy milk
To the pumpkin mixture add flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until well combined and no flour pockets remain. The batter will be very thick.
2 ½ cups gluten-free all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
Divide batter between the two prepared loaf pans and smooth tops. Sprinkle streusel topping on. Bake for 50-54 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes before turning out of pans to cool completely on rack.

Notes

Dairy-free modification

Since the batter uses oil instead of butter, it's easily transformable into a gluten free and dairy free recipe. For the milk and cream cheese, simply swap out with your favorite non-dairy substitutes.

Using a different size pan

If you only have 9X5 loaf pans available they may also be used. However, the baking time will reduce by 5-10 minutes and it might not be as domed shaped on top.

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Nutrition