How to Make Healthier Pumpkin Bread

Tasty pumpkin bread doesn't have to be loaded with fat.

This tweaked pumpkin bread recipe uses less fat and sugar than most traditional recipes, but you'll never taste the difference. It calls for applesauce to stand in for shortening and cuts the sugar by half. Adding wheat bran or wheat germ improves the bread's nutritional value. The texture is slightly different from that of high-fat pumpkin bread. It is somewhat spongy rather than heavy or greasy. Note that you'll be making two loaves. Freeze one loaf for later or give it to a friend.

Things You'll Need

• 2 loaf pans, 9 inches by 5 inches by 3 inches
• Cooking spray or canola oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup applesauce or apple butter
• 1 15-oz. can pumpkin
• 2/3 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups flour plus 1/3 cup wheat germ or wheat bran
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• ½ tsp. baking powder

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease only the bottoms of the loaf pans using cooking spray or canola oil.

2. Mix the sugar and applesauce or apple butter in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin, water and eggs.

3. Mix in flour, wheat germ or wheat bran, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and baking powder. Pour into pans. Bake for approximately one hour and five minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• Add raisins, chocolate chips or nuts if desired.