Description
Classic moist pumpkin bread recipe with warm fall spices, perfect pumpkin flavor, and incredibly tender crumb. Easy one-bowl method makes two loaves perfect for sharing or freezing.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (about 1¾ cups)
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup water
Dry Ingredients:
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional Mix-Ins:
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup dried cranberries or raisins
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans thoroughly with butter or non-stick spray. For extra insurance against sticking, line the bottom of each pan with a strip of parchment paper.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, and water until completely smooth and well combined. The mixture should be uniform in color with no streaks of egg visible.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger (if using). Whisking helps distribute the spices and leavening evenly throughout the flour, preventing pockets of spice or baking soda.
- Fold Together: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together using broad strokes, scraping from the bottom of the bowl upward. Mix just until no dry flour pockets remain—the batter should be thick, uniform, and slightly lumpy. Don’t overmix or your bread will be tough.
- Add Vanilla and Mix-Ins: Stir in vanilla extract. If using any optional mix-ins like nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit, fold them in now, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
- Divide and Fill Pans: Divide batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans (about 3½ cups per pan). Use your spatula to smooth the tops, creating a slight indent down the center—this helps the loaves rise evenly rather than doming dramatically.
- Bake: Place pans on the middle oven rack, spacing them apart for even air circulation. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). The tops should be deeply golden brown and spring back when gently pressed.
- Cool in Pans: Remove from oven and let loaves cool in pans on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. This cooling period allows the structure to set, preventing the bread from breaking apart when removed.
- Remove and Cool Completely: Run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges of each pan to loosen. Carefully invert the loaves onto the wire rack, then flip them right-side up. Let cool completely before slicing—at least 30 minutes. Warm bread is difficult to slice cleanly.
- Slice and Serve: Using a sharp serrated knife, slice into ¾-inch thick pieces. Wipe the knife clean between cuts for the neatest slices.
Notes
- For mini loaves: Divide batter among 6 mini loaf pans and bake for 35-40 minutes.
- For muffins: Fill muffin cups ⅔ full and bake for 18-22 minutes.
- Spice adjustments: Reduce cinnamon to 2 teaspoons if you prefer milder spice flavor.
- Sugar reduction: You can reduce sugar by ½ cup, though bread will be less sweet and slightly denser.
- Doneness test: Bread is done when internal temperature reaches 200-205°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Gluten-free: Use 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend; texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60-65 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of one loaf)
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg