Pumpkin Gingerbread with Spiced Buttercream

Ingredients

For the walnuts (optional):

• 1/2 cup (50 g) chopped walnut halves

For the wet ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon (10 g) chia seeds
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) water
• 1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened canned pumpkin purée
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup (120 g) natural cane sugar
• 1/3 cup (80 mL) grapeseed oil or melted coconut oil*
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) blackstrap molasses
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract

For the dry ingredients:

• 1 2/3 cups (263 g) unbleached all-purpose flour**
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice***
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt (or scant 1/2 tsp fine sea salt)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 batch Spiced Vegan "Buttercream" Frosting

Directions

Tip:

* If using the melted coconut oil option, keep in mind that the loaf will firm up if chilled in the fridge (due to the coconut oil solidifying when chilled). I recommend letting the loaf sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so it can soften up a bit.

** I recommend weighing the flour for best results. If you don’t own a kitchen scale, I use the “scoop-and-shake-until-level” method of scooping my flour out of the bag. This simply means that I briefly stir the flour in the bag, insert a measuring cup into the bag, scoop a heaping amount of flour using the measuring cup, and then shake the cup side-to-side until the flour is level. You can substitute 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (284 grams) white/light spelt flour in place of the all-purpose flour, if desired. I highly recommend Hockley Valley Premium Light Spelt Flour for my Canadian friends if you can find it as it is very smooth and similar to all-purpose flour in terms of its refined texture. Our family also prefers the flavour of this loaf made with white/light spelt flour compared to all-purpose flour, but they are both great. I don't recommend using whole spelt flour as it creates a dense loaf.

*** Instead of using a store-bought pumpkin pie spice, you can make it at home using my Pumpkin Pie Spice recipe.

Nut-free tip: This recipe is naturally nut-free as long as you don't include the optional walnuts.

High altitude baking tips: If baking at a high altitude, bake the loaf at 375°F (190°C) instead of 350°F (180°C). Loaves baked at a high altitude will probably have some sinking in the middle of the loaf, but this is normal. Be sure to test for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the loaf and also making sure the loaf slowly springs back when touched in a few areas.