Pumpkin Bread With Toasted Nuts & Cinnamon

On cool mornings, nothing beats sitting in a warm kitchen filled with the aroma of cinnamon, maple and pumpkin. Since this bread is made with sprouted flour, it doesn’t feel too decadent to enjoy for breakfast and is perfect for morning tea. If you steam the squash and get your ingredients ready the night before, it comes together quickly. Any leftover bread is very good sliced and toasted the following day. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge if you want to keep it for a few days.

Ingredients

  • ½ pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and diced about 500g
  • 200g or 2 cups sprouted spelt flour or whole spelt flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons homemade almond milk or plain soya milk
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 120g 1 cup toasted pecun nuts or walnuts, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Method

  • Place nuts, cinnamon, and maple syrup in a bowl; mix to combine and set aside.
  • Steam squash for 10 to 12 minutes or until soft. Place in a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Measure out 1½ cups and set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4. Lightly oil a loaf tin and line bottom and two longer sides with a sheet of baking parchment; set aside.
  • Sift spelt flour and baking powder into a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add olive oil, maple syrup, almond milk, salt, vanilla and egg to the mashed squash; whisk until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, fold flour mixture into squash mixture until just combined. Spread half of batter over bottom of loaf tin. Layer cinnamon-nuts mixture evenly over batter and top with remaining batter.
  • Place in oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven and allow loaf to sit for 5 minutes before turning out and placing on a wire rack. Slice and serve warm.