Pumpkin Bread Through the Ages

My mom and I have often commented on how the recipes she (and to a lesser extent, I) grew up with can sometimes seem too rich and too bland. Yet these recipes are still very good, and they have emotional value as well. Therefore, a double challenge: 1) to veganize a favorite recipe, and 2) to adapt it to our tastes.

For my grandmother's pumpkin bread recipe, this entailed: replacing eggs with egg replacer, reducing the sugar by 1/2 c, adjusting the ratio of brown to white sugar (not that brown is any healthier, but it is more delicious), reducing the oil by 50% (!), adding orange jest, changing some of the flour to whole wheat to make it less gummy, and increasing the spices. The OJ, the pumpkin, and the 4 "eggs" make the bread so moist and cohesive that that much oil and white flour were simply not necessary. The added zest and increased spices emphasize what was already special about the original recipe.

It's really, really good. I may never need another pumpkin bread recipe in my life.

(Tri-generational Sattre) Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:
2 c pumpkin
1 c white sugar
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c cooking oil
2/3 c orange juice
zest of oranges used for juice (optional), to taste
4 "eggs" (prepared ener-g egg replacer)
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
2 c white flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cloves
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
nuts (optional)

Instructions:

1. Lightly oil and flour 2 loaf pans (or 4 small ones). Preheat oven to 350.
2. Blend sugars and cooking oil. Add pumpkin, juice, zest, and "eggs."
3. Combine flours and baking powder, soda, salt, spices and then add to first mixture. Stir in nuts if desired.
4. For 2 large loaves, bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes. For 4 small, cut time to 45-50 minutes. Loaves are done when a wood chopstick stuck in the center comes out clean.