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Overhead view of a partially sliced pumpkin bread loaf topped with cottage cheese frosting, beside cinnamon sticks.
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Protein Pumpkin Bread

This high protein pumpkin bread is moist, warmly spiced and topped with a creamy cottage cheese frosting. Made with oat flour, almond flour, vanilla whey protein and pumpkin puree, it’s an easy gluten-free treat that has 10g of protein per slice!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Rest Time10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 12
Author: Brittany Mullins

Equipment

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bread

Cottage Cheese Frosting

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, whey protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Make sure you whisk out any clumps of flour.
    1 ¼ cups (140g) oat flour, ¾ cup (90g) almond flour, ½ cup (50g) vanilla whey protein powder, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
  • In a blender, blend the pumpkin, cottage cheese, eggs, coconut sugar, oil and vanilla until smooth.
    1 cup (240g) canned pumpkin puree, ½ cup (110g) full-fat cottage cheese, 2 large eggs, ⅔ cup (120g) coconut sugar, ¼ cup (50g) avocado oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
  • Spread the batter in the prepared pan and let it rest for 10 minutes. This gives the oat flour time to absorb moisture.
  • Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the center reaches 200 to 205°F. A few moist crumbs on a toothpick are fine. Be sure to check at 30 to 35 minutes, and if the top is golden brown, tent loosely with foil.
  • Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
  • Make the frosting: Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth. Add the softened cream cheese and blend again until combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla.
    ½ cup (110g) full-fat cottage cheese, 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened, ⅓ cup (40g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Refrigerate the frosting for about 30 minutes, until it firms up a little.
  • Once the loaf is completely cool, spread the frosting over the top. Slice and serve.

Notes

  • Protein powder: Use vanilla whey protein powder. I used Clean Simple Eats. Plant-based protein, casein and collagen aren’t direct substitutes and will change the texture.
  • Cottage cheese: Use thick, full-fat cottage cheese for both the bread and frosting. If there’s liquid pooled on top, pour it off before weighing. Blend until completely smooth.
  • Measure by weight: For the best results, use the gram measurements provided, especially for the flours, protein powder, pumpkin and cottage cheese. This recipe went through about 10 rounds of testing, and the ingredient ratios are important for a loaf that sets properly in the center.
  • Storage: Refrigerate frosted leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days, or freeze unfrosted slices for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice (w/frosting) | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 153mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 16g