After the events of the past couple of months, I think we can all use a little comfort. Jumping on the pumpkin spice bandwagon might seem like a cheesy way to get there, but food offers a great temporary respite whenever the world outside is feeling not so awesome, so I’m staying in and making a few batches of this easy vegan pumpkin bread to bring to holiday parties and get-togethers with friends. And to snack on while watching Westworld or The Walking Dead, which these days are seeming more and more metaphorical. . . .

But I digress.

You might be saying “Vegan schmegan; I’ll take my egg-and-milk variety, thanks.” But pumpkin has such a rich flavor and texture on its own that it (along with a flax “egg”) helps to bind the bread and give it plenty of body, so you’ll never miss the eggs—which, to my taste, only make pumpkin bread overly dense. The cranberries are optional, but I really recommend trying them; the mix of sweet and tart makes for a satisfying snack or breakfast, and goes equally well with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

Even better, both the vegan pumpkin bread and the topping require just one bowl apiece and a handful of measuring cups and spoons, so cleanup is quick. It’s a low-refined-sugar recipe, as well, and the flaxseed adds essential fatty acids and antioxidants that you won’t get from a slice of bread at Starbucks.

This recipe makes enough crumb topping for two loaves of bread, or else save the leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer to top your next batch of breakfast muffins.

Vegan Pumpkin Bread with Crumb Topping

Yield: 9 servings

Bread Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons ground flax (flaxseed meal)

4 1/2 tablespoons water

1 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup agave

3 tablespoons olive or canola oil

1/4 cup coconut or brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 all-purpose flour

1/2 whole wheat flour

1/3 cup almond flour

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Topping Ingredients

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup vegan butter (such as Earth Balance), softened

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray, or use a silicone loaf pan, unsprayed (preferred)
2. In a large bowl or a stand mixer, mix the flaxseed and water; allow it to set for 10 minutes.
3. Add the pumpkin puree, agave, oil, and brown sugar, and stir. Add the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, and whisk again. Add the almond milk and whisk until smooth.
4. Add the flours, and stir until just combined. Gently fold in the cranberries.
5. Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the top. Bake 45 to 60 minutes, until the top browns and a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Place the pan on a rack and allow it to cool 10 minutes. Use a butter knife to loosen the edges of the bread, then remove it from the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely.