Pumpkin Bread

7.5 oz. canned pumpkin
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup oil*
1 TBSP water

1 cup sugar*
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life chips)

Beat together pumpkin, applesauce, oil, and water. Then add sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Then mix in spices, flour and chocolate chips. Bake in muffin cups or in fluted pans at 350° F for 20-25 minutes. Freezes well.

*For a reduced fat option, you can cut the oil to 1/4 cup and add an additional 1/4 cup applesauce. These are still very tender and moist and my husband can't tell the difference!

*I have reduced the amount of sugar in this recipe and still find this bread very sweet. However if you would like them sweeter, you can increase the sugar to be 1 1/2 cups.

*****
These are so moist and taste amazing, the mixture of spices are perfect! Because this recipe does not contain eggs, do not double the recipe and be sure to bake as mini bundt cakes or muffins (instead of one large loaf). I personally get the best results using a metal pan like the one pictured below. If I use my silicone muffin cups, then the bread is a little too moist and they take an additional five minutes to bake. Both taste great, but I prefer the metal tins. Here is the original recipe containing eggs.



Variation with Stevia

7.5 oz. canned pumpkin
1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP applesauce
1/4 cup oil
1 TBSP water

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. pure powdered Stevia
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life chips)