Pumpkin Maple Chocolate Bread
As part of my continuing quest to find more flavorful (and healthier) alternatives to white sugar–especially when I want to bake something tasty for breakfast–I decided to try my hand at maple syrup creations. (See Sweeteners for more information on natural sweeteners.) The result? A lightly-sweetened bread with the warm undertones of maple, the smooth backdrop of pumpkin, and the richness of cocoa.
Note: the general rule when substituting maple syrup for sugar is to use 3/4 cups maple syrup for each cup of sugar. You’ll also need to reduce the total liquid amount in the recipe by 3 T. per cup of syrup you use and reduce the cooking temperature by about 25 degrees Fahrenheit so that the maple doesn’t burn. If there is no acidic ingredient in the recipe, then add 1/4 tsp. of baking soda. Acids would be citrus juice, buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, etc.
Pumpkin Maple Chocolate Bread
2 1/2 cups flour (can be any mixture of wheat, spelt, kamut or barley flours; all of these contain gluten and will react the same way)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup + 2 T. maple syrup
1/4 cup organic butter, melted (grass-fed if you can get it)
1/4 cup + 2 T. canned pumpkin
2/3 cup organic milk (raw if you can get it)
1 tsp. vanilla
3 free-range eggs
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 11×17 pan OR prepare enough cupcake pans for 24 cupcakes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa together. Pour the liquid ingredients into a smaller bowl and use the same whisk to thoroughly combine. Stir liquid ingredients into the dry ones, scraping the bottom of the bowl to make sure that all ingredients are mixed together. Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes. (If inserted toothpick doesn’t come out clean, continue baking for another 5 minutes and check again.)
Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Fresh fruit would be a nice garnish.
Enjoy!
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Tags: bread, chocolate, maple syrup, pumpkin
