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The only fall recipe you need is here! This easy Pumpkin Bread isย perfectly soft and tender, just like every quick bread recipe should be. The top puffs up and cracks into a beautiful loaf, worthy of gift-giving and a permanent place in your recipe files.
A few weeks ago, I found my old recipe binder from my single girl days. I created the binder when I was a single graduate student living in a small house with a basement that flooded every winter in Davis, California.ย Back then, food blogs didnโt exist, and so I turned to food magazines and Food Network to find recipes to cook.
When I found a recipe that I wanted to try, first, I would print it out. Then I would make it several times. If the recipe was amazing, I would write it down and save it in this recipe binder. Everything that was deemed worthy of making the binder had to be absolutely delicious and turn out perfectly multiple times. This pumpkin bread recipe meets all of the criteria. This was before Pinterest and I couldnโt just save a recipe to a board to make again, can you even imagine?
Ingredients
- Granulated sugar. Just 1 cup of the regular granulated white sugar. One strange thing about this recipe is that sugar is included in the dry ingredients. Sometimes sugar is whisked with flour instead of with the fat in muffin recipes, and it creates a soft crumb. A quick bread should have a soft crumb structure too, so weโre using that method. Just follow the recipe instructions, and youโll have a great loaf of easy pumpkin bread.
- Light Brown Sugar. The molasses in brown sugar gives a caramel flavor to the breadโitโs so delicious!
- All-Purpose Flour. The best way to measure flour is to fluff it, scoop it into the cup and then level the surface with a knife. However, you can substitute up to 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour for extra nutrition in this recipe.
- Baking soda. Gives our bread fluff and lift in the oven.
- Pumpkin pie spice. This is a spice blend made up of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg. I have a homemade recipe for pumpkin pie spice on my homemade pumpkin spice latte recipe, if you like.
- Canned Pumpkin Puree. Be sure to buy puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling.
- Eggs. Two large eggs keep our bread moist and help it rise
- Oil. Use any oil without flavor (canola oil, grapeseed oil, or vegetable oil).
- Water. A small amount of water brings the batter together and makes this pumpkin loaf so moist.
- Vanilla extract. Pumpkin and vanilla go so well together. It brings a subtle sweetness.
Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe variations
- Chocolate Chipsย โ Add 3/4 cup of chocolate chips to the batter and bake as directed.
- Cinnamon Sugarย โ Just before baking, combine 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon with 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Mix well, and sprinkle evenly over the surface of the batter. Bake as usual.
- Veganย โ The only non-vegan ingredient in this easy pumpkin bread is eggs. Try using a โflax eggโ substitute. For each egg, combine 1 tablespoon of freshly ground flax meal with 3 tablespoons of warm water, stir and let sit. (For this recipe, you would double these amounts because it requires 2 eggs). After about 5 minutes, the mixture should be somewhat sticky. Use it in place of the eggs, and know that you might have to add an extra few minutes to the bake time to make up for the extra moisture.
Instructions:
First, whisk together your dry ingredients in a bowl: the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking soda, salt and the pumpkin pie spice. Mix very well to blend.
Next, add all of the wet ingredients on top: the pumpkin, eggs, oil, water and vanilla. Whisk this mixture very well, but be careful not to over-mix.
Finally, pour it into a loaf pan. This is the loaf pan I love and use in my kitchen. Scrape the batter into the pan, and place in the oven.
Bake for 60 minutes, and then test the center of the bread for wetness with a long toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done. If not, add another 5 minutes of baking time and test again. Ensure the bread is fully done before you remove it from the oven or it will sink as it cools!
How long to bake Quick Pumpkin Bread
If youโre using a 9-inch bread loaf pan, this recipe bakes up in about 60 minutes. Every oven and pan is different, so at the 60-minute mark, insert a toothpick or cake skewer into the center of the bread. It should come out mostly clean with only moist crumbs clinging to it. It should not have any wet batter. If it is still raw, add another 5 minutes to the bake time and test again.
How to Store/ Make-Ahead:
To store this, let it cool completely and then slice it into thick slices. Place the slices flat in an air-tight bag. The slices will keep on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 days. Beyond that, store in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze the slices for up to 3 months, and defrost in the microwave as needed to serve.
Simple Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Easy one bowl pumpkin bread made in a loaf pan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree*
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup flavorless oil
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350, and spray a 9x5" bread loaf pan with cooking spray. Ensure a rack is in the center position of the oven.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Make a hole in the center of the mixture, and add all remaining ingredients: pumpkin, eggs, oil, water and vanilla.
- Stir everything together very well, but try not to over-mix.
- Scrape the batter into the pan, and place in the oven. Bake for 60 minutes, and then test the center of the bread for wetness with a long toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, the bread is done. If not, add another 5 minutes of baking time and test again. Ensure the bread is fully done before you remove it from the oven or it will sink as it cools!
Notes
Pumpkin: Be sure to buy canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Oil: Flavorless oils are: vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil or avocado oil. Anhything that won't impart flavor to the bread. Storage: Let it cool completely and then slice it into thick slices. Place the slices flat in an air-tight bag. The slices will keep on the counter at room temperature for up to 2 days. Beyond that, store in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze the slices for up to 3 months, and defrost in the microwave as needed to serve.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 314Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 303mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 1gSugar: 30gProtein: 4g
This is my new favorite pumpkin bread recipe. I use one cup of pumpkin (cause why not) and make two loaves out of one can. Itโs so easy and delicious ๐
Delicious ! Only change I made was less salt .best pumpkin bread Iโve tasted.
This was the easiest and best pumpkin bread I think Iโve had. Definitely a keeper recipe!!!
I made this pumpkin bread and it turned out great!!!! I used a teaspoon of pumpkin pie seasoning and 1 teaspoon of sweet potato pie seasoningโฆthe bread is delicious and easy to make. It will be one of my baked gifts this year for sure.