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This easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe is moist and generously spiced! It is made in one bowl with pantry staples you probably have on hand! Even better than Starbucks’ pumpkin bread!
In the Fall I make a smooth transition from moist banana bread to this pumpkin bread recipe. I have no shame in my Fall-game. I unabashedly pumpkin all the things from pumpkin spice oatmeal and gluten free pumpkin bars to pumpkin cake! Check out these 25 Best Pumpkin Recipes for Fall for more inspiration!
This recipe makes 2 loaves, which uses an entire can of pumpkin. It makes a great gift; you can stash one in the freezer for later, or make half the recipe. Use the extra pumpkin puree in this healthy pumpkin bread, these healthy pumpkin muffins, or be bold and make pumpkin spice donuts!!
Table of Contents
Why this is the best pumpkin bread
- Made in one bowl. This pumpkin bread is easy! It requires no melting, no mixer and is all whisked together in one bowl!
- Perfectly spiced. You taste both the pumpkin and the spice in this quick bread. I promise it will be flavorful and not bland!
- Freezes, ships and slices beautifully. No matter what you need, this recipe has you covered.
Professional tips for making pumpkin bread
- Don’t over-mix. Over-mixing is especially easy with one bowl quick bread recipes. I generally switch from a whisk to a spatula to finish folding the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
- Watch that bake time! Quick breads bake a long time, so it can be easy to over or under bake them. Keep a cake tester nearby and do quick check as you near the 35 minute mark.
- Sugar the pan. I spray or butter then coat the loaf pans in granulated sugar before adding the batter. This makes a delicious crunchy sugared crust on the outside of the loaf!
- Let her cool. I know, I know. I am guilty of this baking sin too, but cooling properly allows the crumb to set. Slicing quick bread while still hot will make it appear underbaked and compress the loaf.
Ingredients Needed
- All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour has just the right amount of gluten to hold all the sugar, oil and peaches without making a chewy, tough quick bread.
- Baking Soda: Do check the freshness of your baking soda! It does lose potency over time. If it’s not fresh, send it to the back of the refrigerator to absorb some odors, or clean your marble countertops with it!
- Baking Powder: Double acting baking powder will react instantly when it is mixed with an acid and then again when it is heated. Because it is double acting, it has a slower, more stable rise than baking soda alone.
- Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is lass salty than table salt and a teaspoon weighs less than other finer ground varieties. It heightens the flavor here and will keep your pastries for tasting dull or flat.
- Spices: I use cinnamon, ground ginger, mace, ground cloves and allspice in this recipe but you could also substitute 2 tablespoons of my pumpkin spice recipe.
- Vegetable Oil: VegetableOil makes these muffins exceptionally moist. I emulsify them into the sugar and eggs to make the batter extra moist. You can also use melted coconut oil.
- Eggs: Whole eggs allow you to emulsify all that oil into the batter, resulting in moist, not greasy, pumpkin bread.
- Light Brown Sugar: Using light brown sugar adds sweetness along with a little moisture. This will keep the pumpkin quick bread softer while adding a nice, rich molasses flavor. Coconut sugar or dark brown sugar can be substituted if desired.
- Sugar: There is a significant amount of granulated sugar in this recipe. Let’s not pretend they are healthy and then we can all just enjoy a slice of bread.
- Pumpkin Puree: I use Libby’s pumpkin puree because it is what I use to develop all my recipes. Use whichever brand you prefer. Just be sure to grab pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix! I would not suggest substituting homemade pumpkin puree due to the varying moisture content. Canned pumpkin puree is tightly controlled within a certain percentage. Too much moisture will make the pumpkin bread gummy.
- Water: The water loosens the batter for a light, cakey bread rather than dense and gummy.
Variations & Substitutions
- Chocolate Chips: more detailed explanation weaving in internal backlinks and informative external links if appropriate and natural.
- Bake pumpkin muffins instead: This pumpkin bread recipe will make 12 muffins instead. I actually used this same recipe for my pumpkin cream cheese muffins!
- Use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil: This bread is also phenomenal with melted coconut oil in place of the vegetable oil. It will still be moist, flavorful and you won’t taste the coconut.
How to make pumpkin bread
Use these instructions to make the perfect pumpkin bread every time! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9” x 5” loaf pans and coat with granulated sugar. Tap out any excess sugar. You can use it in the recipe if you want!
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt and spices. Set aside.
Step 3: In a separate large bowl, whisk together light brown sugar, sugar, oil, and eggs until smooth and no streaks of egg are visible. Whisk in pumpkin puree and water.
Step 4: Whisk dry ingredients in to pumpkin mixture until partially incorporated. Tap out the whisk and finish mixing with a rubber spatula until the batter is smooth.
Step 5: Divide between the two prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, rotating about halfway through.
The pumpkin bread is done when a cake tester is inserted into the center and comes out clean or with just a few clinging crumbs. No wet streaks! You can also use a paring knife or toothpick.
Step 6: Cool 10 minutes in the pan then turn out to finish cooling completely on a wire rack.
For the best pumpkin bread, all it to cool completely before slicing. Slicing quick bread while still hot will make it appear underbaked and compress the loaf.
Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip
The amount of batter in each pan will affect the bake time. To easily divide the batter between two pans, use a kitchen scale! Each one will take approximately 1,030 g.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pumpkin bread commonly tastes bland if there aren’t enough spices or the kosher salt was eliminated or reduced. Salt is critical to enhancing flavors.
Keep pumpkin bread from getting moist by removing it from the baking pan and cooling completely on a wire rack. Quick bread that is wrapped in plastic or parchment prior to cooling will also result in a soggy loaf. It could also be underbaked or you used homemade pumpkin puree.
Some people have a strong preference for fresh; however, as a pastry chef, I prefer canned pumpkin over fresh pumpkin for baking. Canned pumpkin’s moisture is tightly controlled, which makes it consistent. Too much moisture will make the quick bread gummy.
Cool baked pumpkin bread completely before wrapping well in plastic wrap or parchment. Store at room temperature for up to a week, in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or frozen for up to three months.
Pumpkin bread is delightful eaten plain, but also consider serving it with a smear of cream cheese, quick strawberry jam, mixed berry jam, cherry preserves or a little almond butter! Serve it as an easy dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, vanilla anglaise or just a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
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Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups
- 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ginger
- ½ teaspoon mace
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 4 whole eggs
- 16 oz pumpkin puree canned
- ½ cup water
- granulated sugar for coating pans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9” x 5” loaf pans and coat with granulated sugar. Tap out any excess sugar. You can use it in the recipe if you want!
- In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt and spices. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together light brown sugar, sugar, oil, and eggs until smooth and no streaks of egg are visible. Whisk in pumpkin puree and water.
- Whisk dry ingredients in to pumpkin mixture until partially incorporated. Tap out the whisk and finish mixing with a rubber spatula until the batter is smooth.
- Divide between the two pans. The amount of batter in each pan will affect the bake time. To easily divide the batter between two pans, use a kitchen scale! Each one will take approximately 1,030 g.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, rotating about halfway through. The pumpkin bread is done when a cake tester is inserted into the center and comes out clean or with just a few clinging crumbs. No wet streaks! You can also use a paring knife or toothpick.
- Cool 10 minutes in the pan then turn out to finish cooling completely on a wire rack.
Video
Notes
Substitutions – Melted coconut oil can easily be substituted for the vegetable oil. Substitute 2 tablespoons of my pumpkin spice recipe for the individual spices listed in the recipe card above.
Storage – Cool baked pumpkin bread completely before wrapping well in plastic wrap or parchment. Store at room temperature for up to a week, in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or frozen for up to three months.
Nutrition
Before You Go
I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Check out our other delicious, chef-developed Fall dessert recipes and 10 Easy Pumpkin Desserts you must make this Fall!
Oh, I’m with you on this Fall. We deserve the best one ever – filled with lots and lots (and lots) of pumpkin spice bread. This sounds delicious…and perfect for these chilly mornings that we’re having!