Pumpkin Bread - quick, easy and delicious and gluten free!

I have always loved Pumpkin bread.  It was one of the last things I had to eat before needing to go gluten free.  For over 3 years I could not find a gluten free pumpkin bread and tried several times to make one from scratch but it just didn't seem to meet my expectations.  Last year I took a cooking lesson and requested pumpkin bread.  I thought it was great and made it several times.  Last week I made it and had my daughter and husband sample it.  Although they both thought it was fine, they both thought it was gritty tasting.  The recipe I used called for rice flour, which does seem to be gritty.  Today I decided to try the same recipe but switching out the rice flour for a gluten free flour mixture.  The one I used is a mix of corn starch, tapioca flour, garbanzo flour, fava flour and sorghum flour. (Who would have thought there could be so many different kinds of flour.)  The result:  Delicious and no grittiness or aftertaste, great texture, not dense and it rose beautifully.  See what you think!

Cathy

Pumpkin Nut Bread

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

Beat together for a few minutes.

Add:

1 cup pureed pumpkin (canned or fresh)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix well.

Add:

1 1/3  cup gluten free flour

1/4     teas. xanthan gum

3/4     teas. baking soda

1/4     teas. baking powder

1 1/2  teas. cinnamon

1/2     teas. pumpkin pie spice

Beat until well mixed.

Stir in 1/2 to 3/4 chopped walnuts or chocolate chips, if desired.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 55 - 60 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cool before cutting.

Gluten Free Gourmet

Welcome to my Gluten Free Gourmet blog.

I've been living gluten free for 3 1/2 years now and although it's been painful at times, I'm getting used to cooking and baking with gluten free products. Of course, the fact that there are more products availble on the market is a huge help. I'd like to make this as interactive as possible with recipe exchanging, product recommendations, restaurant suggestions and an overall place to share valuable information for both celiac and gluten sensitive people. I'd like to start by sharing a recipe I recently heard about while watching a morning tv show (I made a couple of minor changes). The recipe is for a cinnamon coffee cake and is one of the best gluten free baked items I've tried so far. Here goes:

Coffee Cake

1 box gluten free vanilla or yellow cake mix (I used Betty Crocker GF)
1/2 pkg vanilla instant pudding (I used sugar free)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
2 Tabls. milk
1 Tabls. vanilla

Mix all together put 1/2 the batter into greased 13x9 pan.
Mix 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 teas. cinnamon and 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
Sprinkle 1/2 of the nut mixture on top of the mix in pan; spread remaining cake mix and top with remaining nut mixture.

Bake in 350 over for 35 - 40 minutes.

OK - now my comments: I love nuts so I used closer to 1 cup. First time I made it as above and it was great. Found it didn't quite make it in the 13 x 9 pan. Was going to use a smaller pan the next time but instead decided to double the recipe and go with the 13 x 9. It came out HUGE, definately need more of the nut mixture than the double as it gets lost between the layers. The next time, I will make it single and put in a 9" spring form pan. Any way that you make it though, it is delicious.

Enjoy and let me know your thoughts.

Cathy