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The only fall recipe you need is here! This easy Pumpkin Bread is 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. Back then, food blogs didn’t 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 couldn’t 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 we’re using that method. Just follow the recipe instructions, and you’ll have a great loaf of easy pumpkin bread.
- Light Brown Sugar. The molasses in brown sugar gives a caramel flavor to the bread–it’s 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 Chips – Add 3/4 cup of chocolate chips to the batter and bake as directed.
- Cinnamon Sugar – 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.
- Vegan – The only non-vegan ingredient in this easy pumpkin bread is eggs. Try using a ‘flax egg’ 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 you’re 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
I have made this recipe twice. It is perfect when paired with the dig biscuit recipe I use. Between the two I use a full can of pumpkin. I use olive oil and add chocolate chips and it tastes great. East, quick, and tasty!
I made this a few days ago. Super easy and super scrumptious and I’ll definitely be making it again. Thank you for the recipe!
Pumpkin puree amount in grams would be great…
Many countries do not have canned pumpkin
Made this for muffins ♡ going in 20 mins for a wetness test but the batter is sooooo gooood
Thank you for sharing!
I’ve used this recipe several times and it has become my family favorite. Before I bake it, I sprinkle raw brown sugar crystals on the top. My family loves the crunch.
I made this and it came out delish but the directions and the layout of the page are not user friendly. There’s no indication what temperature to preheat the oven to and there’s no “Jump to Recipe” option. The actual recipe card is buried at the very end of notes about add ins, storage, substitutes, etc.
The measurements for the ingredients is there..might help to put beside the picture of ingredients. Also if you would include metric that would be great.
I love all your passion in your recipes and have subscribed to you for a long time.
Please don’t feel like I’m being critical, this one
is a gem! Thanks!
This was phenomenal. Made it for my parents and myself – so simple and easy to make. I used slightly less flour than the recipe asked. Thank you for this great recipe!! It’s been a huge hit in my house.
Will be trying out one of the other pumpkin ones with the leftover pumpkin.
The first time I made this recipe I used Indian tea chai spice instead of pumpkin pie spice ( I was out of it). Talk about amazing! Mmmm Mmmm good! So don’t be afraid to change up the spices. I’ve also tried this recipe with various nuts, seeds, coconut and chocolate chips; and I have also tried it with sweet potato and butternut squash purée instead of the pumpkin, and that came out nicely as well.
I was surprised how much batter this recipe made! I made two 9 inch by 5 inch loaves and the bread rose about an inch above the top of the pans.
The moistest pumpkin bread ever🩷
Added chocolate chips and chopped walnuts too👍🏻
Amazing recipe! Do you have any idea how I could add a scoop of vanilla protein to this? How would I adjust the recipe?
Oh my goodness, this recipe never lasts more than 24 hours in our house! It is absolutely delish and has just the right amount of sweetness and pumpkin spice flavor. I made it in a 9×13 glass dish and cut it into 18 squares. Baked at 350 for about 25 minutes this way. Also, for anyone wondering, it turns out perfectly using the King Arthur gluten free measure for measure flour. I have also subbed melted butter for the oil once or twice, when I’ve run out of avocado oil. It’s a touch moister/denser with the butter but truly yummy either way!