“Pumpkin..what..don’t tell me it has pumpkin in it?” I baked this wholewheat pumpkin coconut bread for the 14th wedding anniversary of my friend and did not reveal the ingredients till the last piece was left. It was a delightful surprise for my anti-pumpkin friend, who never cooked this humble veggie in her kitchen and believes that a pumpkin is no good than scaring crows and keeping the evil at bay.
In most of pumpkin bakes the veggie is first cooked or baked to get pumpkin puree and then added to the batter but I avoided that step…lazy…Hmm..sort of. Moist and supple bread to the core is what fresh pumpkin puree does to this bake, while freshly grated coconut & almonds give that extra crunchy texture to it.
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Wholewheat Pumpkin Bread – Healthy Bake with Coconut & Almond Crunch
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
Description
This wholewheat pumpkin bread is moist and supple, thanks to fresh pumpkin puree, with a delightful crunch from grated coconut and almonds.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 g) wholewheat flour
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) fresh pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh grated coconut
- 2 tbsp yogurt or curd
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (30 g) chopped almonds
- 1/4 cup (30 g) Goji berries or raisins
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a loaf pan and set aside.
- Peel and chop about 200 grams of pumpkin to make a cup of puree. Blend the pumpkin cubes with the yogurt until smooth.
- In a large bowl, mix together the wholewheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, combine the pumpkin puree mixture, granulated sugar, grated coconut, and vegetable oil. Mix well until the sugar is dissolved.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the chopped almonds and Goji berries or raisins.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- For a lovely brown crust, increase the oven temperature to 215°C (419°F) for the last 5 minutes of baking.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- For a lovely brown crust, bake the bread at 215°C for the last 5 minutes.
- You can replace Goji berries with raisins if preferred.
- Omit grated coconut for a plain pumpkin bread.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 0
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the pumpkin need to be pre-cooked before going into the batter?
No — the article specifically calls out skipping that step. You peel and chop about 200 g of fresh pumpkin, blend it raw with the 2 tbsp of yogurt until smooth, and add it directly to the batter. The raw puree keeps the bread especially moist.
Why does the recipe increase the oven temperature to 215°C at the very end?
The recipe instructs you to raise the oven from 180°C (350°F) to 215°C (419°F) for the last 5 minutes of baking. This blast of heat develops a lovely brown, slightly crisp crust without overbaking the moist interior.
Can I use raisins instead of goji berries?
Yes — both the recipe and the notes confirm raisins are a direct substitute for the 1/4 cup of goji berries with no change to quantities or method.
This was so good! My family is full of coconut lovers so I threw some flaked coconut in with some hemp seeds. I ve made 3 dozen today and I only have one left. Safe to say it s a hit.
This looks delicious! How many almonds do you use? I don’t see it in the ingredients list. I hope to make this in the next few weeks.