Easy pumpkin loaf with cream cheese ribbon (a lighter version of pumpkin loaf)

It’s that time of year when the daylight hours are getting shorter, the wind is getting chilly and the leaves on the trees are beginning to turn their autumn shades. Gone are the thoughts of crisp summer salads and ice cream sundaes to be replaced with soups and hearty meals. It’s this time when we start thinking of the holidays associated with the dark, cold nights of winter and the food that goes with them. For today I’m thinking about Halloween and pumpkin and specifically one of my favourites, Pumpkin Bread.

Now Pumpkin bread can be quite high in calories, and I have been doing rather well recently at reducing my figure. So the pumpkin bread I have been making has been a reduced fat and calorie version, but with all that lovely, warming spice, you wouldn’t notice.

Pumpkin And Halloween

If you are reading this blog from the States, then you probably recognise pumpkins as the Jack O’ Lanterns seen outside houses on Halloween, however, when the Jack O’ Lanterns were originally brought from Scotland and Ireland to the States, they were not made of pumpkin – rather a hollowed-out turnip. Have a read at the story that brought the tradition of Jack O’Lanterns.

Ribbon Pumpkin Bread

OK, so let’s have a look at making Ribbon Pumpkin Bread.

Batter:

250g pumpkin purée
125g unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tbsp oil
160g plain flour
225g sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Filling:

170g low-fat cream cheese
50g sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
2 egg whites

1. For the filling, combine the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and egg whites in a bowl; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the pumpkin, applesauce, egg, egg whites, and oil. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.

2. Divide half of the batter between two loaf tins coated with oil.

3. Spread each with the cream cheese filling and then top up with the remaining batter.

4. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from tins to wire racks to cool completely.