vegan recipe – The Friendly Epicurean

October 31, 2020

Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

There are so many delicious fall recipes to choose from right now. I love recipes that use apple, sweet potato, butternut squash, and pumpkin this time of year. I think pumpkin spice lattes can be over-hyped but they’re still a fall favorite of mine. Seasonal food is comfort food. It’s also a little bit addicting since it’s only available at certain times of the year. If you crave pumpkin treats for breakfast that aren’t lattes, then this is the recipe for you! It’s an easy recipe that’s totally plant based and delicious. It’s not too heavy or sweet but still tastes moist and rich.

Quick breads are an easy way to use up extra fruit, vegetables, or any pantry items – zucchini, banana, chocolate chips, and pumpkin are what I use the most. You’ll need to set aside some extra prep time for the flax egg – the longer you let it sit, the better. The flax egg gels more the longer it sits, and helps to bind the bread like a real egg. This bread does take a little over an hour to bake and also 20 minutes to cool down. You can use store bought pumpkin spice mix or add your own clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I used Kite Hill brand vegan cream cheese which holds up well to baking at high heat. I haven’t tried this with other brands of vegan cream cheese such Tofutti, but suspect they would also work well. The cream cheese is totally optional but a fun, creamy addition to this yummy fall recipe. I used a toothpick to give it a little swirl effect before baking (see below). Have a Happy Halloween! I hope you celebrate safely at home this year. If you make this recipe, make sure to tag @thefriendlyepicurean on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or Pin this recipe on Pinterest.

Use a toothpick to create a swirl with your cream cheese

Vegan Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Servings: 6
Time: 1.5 hours
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs flaxseed powder
6 tbs warm water
1 cup organic sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup + 2 tbs almond milk
2 tsp pumpkin spice mix (or sub with 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, ground 1/4 tsp ground clove)

For the cream cheese topping:

1/2 cup vegan cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup organic sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9″x 5″ inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Prepare flax egg: whisk together flaxseed powder and warm water and let sit for at least 15-30 minutes. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin spices in a medium sized bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or separate bowl if using a hand mixer), mix pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, and flaxseed mixture on low speed for 1 minute. Add in flour in 3 parts while mixing on low-medium speed for 1-2 minutes until combined. Scrape sides with a spatula. Add 1/4 cup plus 2 tbs almond milk to thin out mixture. Mix again for 30 seconds on low-medium speed. Pour batter into loaf pan evenly. Next prepare cream cheese topping. Mix room temperature cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract on low speed for about 1 minute until smooth. Spoon cream cheese topping onto batter. Using a knife or toothpick, swirl cream cheese. Bake at 350F for 60 to 75 minutes. Bread is done when it springs back to touch and edges start to separate from pan. Or, when a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely – about 20 minutes, before serving. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 1-2 days.