ICED PUMPKIN PROTEIN BREAD (VEGAN)
Okay y’all, it’s time for a pumpkin recipe! This Iced Pumpkin Protein Bread is vegan, gluten-free, and low in sugar… the perfect snack to pair with coffee or chai tea (mmm). Even though this bread has 14 grams of protein per slice, it’s ridiculously soft, heavy with moisture, and full of pumpkin spice flavor! That dairy-free cream cheese is just the icing on the err… bread 😉 I love this so much I’ve made it four times already!
Did you know? Just one cup of pumpkin has 245% of your daily vitamin A requirement! Vitamin A is essential for good vision, immune function, and fertility. Vitamin A also supports optimal functioning of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs. Like other fat soluble vitamins, it’s important not to supplement with too much vitamin A, as toxicity issues can occur.
Protein powder recommendation
For the perfect pumpkin spice flavor, I used LIV Body’s Lean Vegan Protein in Pumpkin Pie flavor (a pea protein). Cinnamon or Snickerdoodle flavor would work too 😉 LIV Body not only tastes great, it has no artificial additives! It also makes my gut happy thanks to added probiotics and enzymes. It never makes me bloated – in fact – I think I’m less bloated when I use it daily! If you’d like to try LIV Body for yourself, use my code NOEXCUSES for 20% off: https://livbody.com/collections/all
I have tested other protein powders in this recipe: soy isolate, whey protein, and pumpkin seed protein (yes, that’s a thing)! You can get away with using about one quarter cup less flour if using soy or pumpkin protein. If using a whey protein blend, I would suggest substituting half a cup of the water for additional pumpkin puree, since whey tends to dry out baked goods. If using collagen, I would suggest leaving out the water completely, as collagen absorbs little to no moisture.
Flour substitutions
For the flour, I’ve had best results with gluten-free baking flour. You can substitute up to half a cup of the baking flour for a quarter cup of coconut flour to lower the carbs, but this will yield a less “springy” bread. You can also try substituting the gluten-free baking flour for an equal measure of all-purpose flour, brown rice flour, cake flour, cassava flour (Paleo), oat flour (oats blended into flour), sorghum flour, spelt flour, tiger nut flour or whole wheat pastry flour. All of these behave similarly! Almond flour would probably not work in this recipe.
Sweetener substitutions
For the sweetener, I used a monk fruit brown sugar alternative. I just love the hint of brown sugar flavor! You can use any reduced-calorie brown sugar alternative, like Lakanto Golden, Sukrin Gold, Swerve Brown, or Truvia Brown Sugar (use half as much for Truvia).
Baking stevia, granulated erythritol, granulated monk fruit, or a granulated sugar like coconut sugar will also work, but won’t taste as rich as a brown sugar sweetener. If using stevia extract or drops, please refer to the brand-specific conversion chart!
Other ingredients
For the wet ingredients, I used 100% pure canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling). Make sure to use half a cup more if subbing whey or casein protein powder!
Instead of eggs, you can use water and ground flaxseed to make “flax eggs” (or use two whole eggs or half a cup of egg whites if not vegan). You can also substitute a vegan egg replacer if you like!
I love adding some yummy sunflower seed butter to this bread, but feel free to swap it for almond butter, cashew butter, or two tablespoons of melted coconut oil.
Oh PS, if you don’t have all the individual spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves), you can use one tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice instead.
Cream cheese icing
For the icing, I combined soy-based cream cheese, confectioner’s erythritol, and vanilla extract. You can use coconut cream cheese, almond cream cheese, or reduced fat dairy cream cheese without changing the nutrition much, however Tofutti and Kite Hill are the only two vegan cream cheese brands I like in this icing.
You can also substitute the confectioner’s erythritol for powdered monk fruit sweetener, powdered sugar, or any powdered sweetener you have on hand. Just remember using powdered sugar will increase the sugar, carbs and calories per slice.
Here’s the printable recipe for this vegan Iced Pumpkin Protein Bread! I hope you’ll rate and comment below if you try it 🙂
This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by LIV Body.
Iced Pumpkin Protein Bread (Vegan)
Sarah Wilkins
8 servings
15 minutes
45 minutes
240
This moist iced pumpkin protein bread is vegan, gluten-free, high in protein, and low in sugar. We love this as a healthy snack, dessert, or even breakfast!
Ingredients
Pumpkin bread:
- 1 1/4 cup (160g) gluten-free baking flour*
- 3/4 cup (90g) vegan protein powder* (I used LIV Body Lean Vegan Protein in Pumpkin Pie flavor)
- 2/3 cup calorie-free sweetener* (I used one that measures 1:1 like sugar)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon*
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg*
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger*
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves* (can sub 1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice for individual spices)
- 1 1/2 cup 100% pure canned pumpkin
- 3/4 cup water* (sub more pumpkin if using whey)
- 3 tbsp. ground flaxseed* (or sub water and flaxseed for 3/4 cup egg whites)
- 1/4 cup sunflower seed butter* (or nut butter of choice)
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (optional)
Cream cheese icing:
- 3/4 cup (6 oz.) dairy-free cream cheese* (like Tofutti or Kite Hill brand)
- 1/2 cup calorie-free powdered sweetener* (I used one that measures 1:1 like sugar)
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
*See blog post for more substitutions and notes.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Whisk together dry ingredients (through spices) in a large mixing bowl.
Add in wet ingredients (through vanilla) and mix just until no clumps remain. Batter should be quite thick but spreadable.
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (recommended) or generously coat with cooking spray.
Spread batter evenly into the bottom of the pan using a spoon or spatula.
Set cream cheese on the counter at room temperature to soften.
Bake for loaf for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick or knife inserted comes out clean. Check at 40 minutes for whey or casein! Let cool for 15-20 minutes before removing from pan.
Combine softened cream cheese, sweetener, and vanilla until smooth, then spread over loaf. Chill in the fridge for a nice thick icing layer!
Slice into 8 pieces and enjoy! Leftovers will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for at least one week, or in the freezer for at least a month.
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