It’s the Great Pumpkin Loaf, Charlie, Brown!
Last week, my mom, Maggie & I had cupcakes from Sprinkles. I had their November-Only pumpkin cupcake, fresh from the oven. Moist, not to sweet, slightly spicy. Yum. Research and all that, you know? So, this…. well, it rules! Inspired by that delicious little cupcake, I made this loaf to fulfill all my cozy, fall, sweet-toothed needs. This is like a cross between banana bread and pumpkin pie. I love it when a new recipe turns out perfect the first time around, I will be making this more for sure.
Pumpkin Cranberry Almond Loaf
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1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or home-made)
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3/4 cup dried cranberries, soaked in hot water and drained
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1 c. granulated Splenda or sweetener of choice
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1 teaspoon vanilla
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1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or 1 tsp cinnamon
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pinch of salt
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5 eggs
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1 1/2 cups almond flour
Lightly butter or oil a loaf pan or foil tin. Beat pumpkin puree, Splenda, baking powder, vanilla, spice and salt until well blended. Beat in the in eggs and almond flour, then fold in the cranberries. Pour into the pan and bake at 300º 60-75 minutes, until cake pulls away from sides of pan a bit and toothpick comes out clean. It was ready in my oven @ 75 minutes. This is a very lenient batter, the moistness from the pumpkin makes it hard to over-bake. Cool the loaf in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then tip on to rack for further cooling before slicing. Serve with fresh whipped cream and caramel sauce for an extra decadent dessert! You should store it in the fridge or freezer…. if you and your guests don’t eat it all up in the course of a few hours!
ps. I jogged with Rod Blagojevich yesterday. He lives in my part of town. True story. I wonder if he’d enjoy my pumpkin loaf?
pps. I am working on spiffying up our tiny rental kitchen, where all the madness (yes–madness, we don’t have a dishwasher! or counter space!) takes place. I’m thinking I’ll be posting some before and afters soon.
