Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Loaf

Just in time for Canadian Thanksgiving, here is a yummy recipe for a vegan gluten-free pumpkin loaf.  This was adapted from a recipe by the Gluten Free Goddess, Karina Allrich.  I find many of her recipes have too much sugar for my taste, but this one is just too good to pass by.  If you want a decadent guilt-free dessert, do  this - place a thick slice in a non-stick pan, and heat until both sides are crispy-brown.  Top with So Delicious Coconut Milk frozen dessert (my answer to ice cream) and enjoy.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Loaf

¾ cup lightly packed organic light brown sugar or coconut sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
2 "chia eggs" = 6 tbsp water and 2 tbsp ground chia seeds combined and let sit for 5 minutes (or 2 large eggs, beaten)
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
½ cup buckwheat flour
½ cup millet flour
¼ cup sorghum flour
½ cup tapioca starch
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
½ cup golden raisins

Prepare a large loaf pan by greasing the bottom and dusting with a teaspoon of flour.  Shake out excess flour. 
Mix together sugar, maple syrup, oil, vanilla and pumpkin and set aside.
Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Whisk egg replacer into water and mix into liquid mixture.  Gently fold wet mixture into dry ingredients, until just evenly distributed.  Adjust consistency if needed by adding more pumpkin puree or more flour.  Mixture should be thick, not runny and evenly moist.  Stir in pecans and raisins. 

Turn into prepared loaf pan and set sit on counter while your oven heats to 350°. 
Bake for 70 minutes or until a baking thermometer reads 210 ° degrees in the centre of the loaf.
Let sit in the pan to cool for 10 minutes, and then run a knife around the sides of the pan, turning the loaf out onto a rack to finish cooling.

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