Sweet Potato Bread with Pecans & Vanilla Drizzle

It is hard to believe this scrumptious bread has no butter, no oil, no eggs and no dairy! What!?! And yet, it is so delicious....no one will ever know it's vegan! The crunchy pecans and vanilla drizzle take this moist bread, with the perfect fall flavors, to another level - don't omit the topping! Serve this for breakfast or dessert. It is great with a warm cup of spiced tea or golden milk. Toast it gently in a pan or the oven, drizzle it with a little pure maple syrup and top with fresh berries! It doesn't get any better! Enjoy! 

 Ingredients:

• 2 cups spelt flour (or all-purpose flour- love the texture spelt flour gives this bread, tho)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato (I used 3 small, but if they are large, 1 or 2...it all depends on size)
• 2/3 cup plant-based milk (I used almond milk; oat and soy are also good)
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 Tbl vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Vanilla Drizzle: 

• 6 Tbl powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 Tbl plant milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F - this is for the sweet potatoes

Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil. Bake for an hour or until tender - really just falling apart when you touch them. Let them cool, then scoop out the flesh and mash well. Set aside.

After the potatoes have finished baking turn the oven down to 350F 

Grease loaf pan with a little bit of oil. 

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl: spelt flour, white and brown sugars, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 

In a separate bowl combine the mashed sweet potato, plant milk, applesauce, apple cider vinegar and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine, but don't overmix it. 

Pour the batter evenly into the oiled loaf pan. Evenly sprinkle the chopped pecans on top. 

Bake for 52 to 60 minutes at 350F. You know your oven best. I bake all my sweet loaf breads for 54 min and that is perfect for my oven. So start testing with a toothpick around 52 minutes. If the toothpick doesn't come out clean, continue baking until it does. 

While the bread is baking make the Vanilla Drizzle (don't skimp on this - it's easy and amazing). 

Sift 6 Tbl of powdered sugar into a bowl. Add the plant milk and whisk with a fork until smooth. Add the vanilla, whisk. Set aside. 

When your bread is finished baking let it cool on the counter for about an hour. Add the vanilla drizzle on top of the bread after it has cooled. Just use the same fork to drizzle the sugar glaze on top. Remove from pan, slice and serve. Enjoy!