Pumpkin Gingerbread

Pumpkin season is now in full force! It is officially fall, and cooling down (a little). There are pumpkin patches sprouting up everywhere, and you can't help but crave pumpkin spice coffee or a warm slice of pumpkin bread (at least if you are me). Ah yes, bread. As of recent, I have been noticing the negative reaction gluten has been having on my body. So here's to a new challenge - going gluten free! Or at least mostly. Maybe I will give in to the occasional stomach ache when the temptation is too much, but otherwise I am going forth with new experiments in baking without gluten. This pumpkin gingerbread is the first of many gluten free baked goods to come, and it only took 2 tries to finalize the recipe! I'd say that is encouraging enough for me to keep trying. Oh, and did I mention it tastes amazing and I would have never guessed it was gluten free? Oh yes. This one is a keeper.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup oat flour (I blended Trader's Joe's GF rolled oats in my food processor)
1/2 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 heaping teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 heaping teaspoon ground ginger
1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup organic brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup apple sauce, unsweetened
1 box of pumpkin puree (about 17 ounces)
If using canned pumpkin, use one 15 ounce can plus 1/3 cup of water

Preheat your oven to 375 F. Mix all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, and whisk the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine the wet and dry, mixing well. Greece your loaf pan with a little bit of coconut oil, transfer batter to pan, and bake for 1 hour - 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check with a toothpick or knife in center to make sure it is done. Mine took the full hour and 15 minutes to bake. Remove from pan immediately when done, and let cool on the counter. Store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap, and enjoy your amazing smelling house and a warm slice of pumpkin gingerbread with you afternoon cup'o'coffee.