This super-easy pumpkin bread recipe is soft, moist, and packed with excellent pumpkin spice flavors that highlight the season. Just a little mixing and pop it in the oven for the perfect fall treat the whole family will love.
Introduction
I love quick bread: the moisture, the texture, and the variety of what you can do with them. Every fall seems packed with "pumpkin spice" this or that.
Here is my version of quick and easy pumpkin bread with canned pumpkin, pumpkin spice mixture, and other common pantry ingredients
I started by looking at Cook's Illustrated Pumpkin Bread. I shouldn't have been surprised with too many ingredients and too much work for lazy me.
I checked Libby's pumpkin bread and combined 3-4 recipes with excellent, effortless results.
My Rating
I'm at a low 5 or high 4.
🎃Ingredients for Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin
Use canned pumpkin puree. Do not confuse pumpkin puree with pumpkin pie filling—they are not the same.
This recipe uses about 2 cups, and most cans have 15 oz, which is fine. The amount of pumpkin is higher than in other recipes, which gives a moister texture and a more intense flavor.
You can make your own, but the commercial version has more flavor and is sweeter.
Sugar
Use standard white sugar. You may be tempted to decrease the sugar. I have already reduced it, and it now has a good balance. More decrease is not suggested.
Butter
Like the sugar, you may be tempted to decrease the butter. It is already reduced and is needed to add both flavor and texture for a softer crumb.
You can use vegetable oil instead of butter, but the butter adds more taste.
Spices
I initially called this pumpkin pie spice bread and used 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice seasoning.
If you don't have pumpkin spice mix, use 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon dry ginger, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
Other Ingredients
The usual quick bread ingredients of all-purpose flour, eggs, salt, and baking powder but no baking soda are included.
Additional Enhansements
Many people love adding coconut, chocolate chips, raisins, dried cherries, or cranberries to pumpkin bread.
I'm a fan of nuts. I added walnuts, but pecans would be a good choice, also.
👨🍳How to Make Pumpkin Bread
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan.
- Add all the dry ingredients and spice to a large bowl and mix.
- In a seperuts
- Mix wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Just get it all combined and don't over mix.
- Add any nuts or other ingredients at this point.
- Spread into prepared pan,
- Bake about 1 hour until a toothpick comes out clean or the internal temperature is 200° to 205°.
- Cool on a rack before cutting.
❓FAQs about Pumpkin Bread
There are many sizes of loaf pans. "Standard" loaf pan size is 8-½ x 4-½ x 2-½ inches. You have what you have in size, so use that size.
A smaller pan will take longer to cook due to the thickness, and a larger pan is faster due to the loaf being thinner. As always, do not cook by time alone. Ovens differ—Cook to an endpoint, not time.
No, you can easily mix this by hand, but a small hand mixer helps a lot. If you do this by hand, soften the butter slightly and get it fully incorporated with the other "wet" ingredients with a whisk.
The old-fashioned toothpick test of inserting a toothpick in the center, and when it comes out clean, it is done.
But if you have no toothpick or don't entirely trust that, cook to an internal temperature of 200° to 205° in the thickest center of the loaf.
A good sprinkle of granular white sugar before baking will give a sweet little crust on top.
If you want to take it up a notch, add a glaze. Mix a glaze of 1 cup of powder sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and two tablespoons of milk. Pour over the top of the loaf when almost cooled. If you use the glaze, the bread should be stored refrigerated.
❄️How to Store Pumpkin Bread
Like other quick bread, this can be stored at room temperature if sealed with plastic wrap or an airtight container for 2-3 days.
For more extended storage, use a freezer. Tightly wrap individual slices of pumpkin bread. It should be fine for up to 3 months.
📖Quick Bread Recipes
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Prep the loaf pan with a light coat of butter, then coat with flour.
In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons of the pumpkin spice mix. Mix well. If you don't have pumpkin spice mix, use 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
Mix wet ingredients by hand or with a mixer. One egg, ½ cup milk, four tablespoons softened butter, and one 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree.
Mix the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients. Optionally add 1 cup chopped nuts, ½ cup raisins, or ⅔ cups of chocolate chips.
Spread the batter into the prepped pan.
Bake for about 1 hour until the toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.
📖Recipe
Easy Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- 4 tablespoons butter - softened
- 15 oz pumpkin
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin spice seasoning - buy or used ingredients below
home made pumpkin spice mix if needed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon dry ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Optional Additions
- 1 cup chopped nuts - optional
- ½ cup raisins - optional
- ⅔ cup chocolate chips - optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Prep the loaf pan with a light coat of butter, then coat with flour.
- In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons of the pumpkin spice mix. Mix well. If you don't have pumpkin spice mix, use 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
- Mix wet ingredients by hand or with a mixer. One egg, ½ cup milk, four tablespoons softened butter, and one 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree.
- Mix the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients. Optionally add 1 cup chopped nuts, ½ cup raisins, or ⅔ cups of chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter into the prepped pan.
- Bake for about 1 hour until the toothpick comes out clean. But if you have no toothpick or you don't entirely trust that, cook to an internal temperature of 200° to 205° in the thickest center of the loaf. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Never use baking powder with aluminum.
- There are many sizes of loaf pans. A small pan may take longer to cook due to the thickness, and a larger pan faster due to the loaf being thinner.
- You may substitute for pumpkin spice seasoning with one teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon dry ginger, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
- Check for the endpoint with a toothpick. You insert it into the center of the loaf, and it should come out clean. But if you have no toothpick or you don't entirely trust that, cook to an internal temperature of 200° to 205° in the thickest center of the loaf.
- A light sprinkle of sugar just before going into the oven is a nice little touch.
- I like nuts in mine, but I have included options for raisins or chocolate chips if you want.
- Good at room temperature for about 3 days if sealed air-tight. You can also freeze for 3-4 months.
- If you want to take it up a notch, add a glaze. Mix a glaze of 1 cup of powder sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and two tablespoons of milk. Pour over the top of the loaf when almost cooled. If you use the glaze, the bread should be stored refrigerated.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: Originally Published November 7, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Melissa
I added 1/2 teaspoon of allspice to the spice mix and it turned out great!
Jerri
Thank you for another delicious recipe! I keep some sort of sweet bread in the fridge for my husband all the time and I’m always looking for new flavors. I used your serving calculator to change this to 15 servings because my pan is 9 x 5. I used the 15 oz pumpkin and added an extra egg. Topped it off with some turbinado sugar before baking. It’s delicious.
Jeff McFadden
Another perfect recipe. I used Pumpkin Pie Spice as that was what I had on hand and it came out just fine. Not too spicy or sweet and plenty moist. Looking for a good Cream Cheese icing thats not too sweet to try on a loaf of this but everything Im seeing has way to much sugar. Thanks again for posting this - certainly going into my recipe file.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Jeff,
Welcome to the blog. I like this recipe since it has nice taste but doesn't "scream" pumpkin or spice. Just right for me.
About the frosting. Cream cheese frosting generally needs about 4 oz of cream cheese to one cup of powder sugar. You won't be able to change that much. Many recipes will add butter or a bit of milk. The more of these liquid like things you add, the more sugar is needed to get the texture right. I think a bit vanilla is needed and the butter is nice but skip the milk. A touch of lemon juice is good depending on usage. Remember if you do the cream cheese, it needs to be refrigerated.
Dan
Deborah Lein
I've decided to make a double batch of this pumpkin bread (since I only have a 29 oz can) with 1/2 white sugar and 1/2 dark brown sugar. And will add cranberries with some OJ instead of water. HOWEVER, I have all the wet ingredients prepped. And am prepping the dry ingredients and I see that my C*****t double acting baking powder includes an aluminum ingredient. Aak! Will just have to let you know how it works out. What can be used instead of baking powder for quick breads?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Deborah,
The baking powder with alunimum will work but it leaves a bit of an after taste. If you are fine with that, use it. My wife and I are both sensitive to the taste (not allergic) and most of the family. It is just bitter/metalic taste.
There are some things people suggest as a substitute for baking powder. Just check Google.
Dan
Jen B
Hi Dan - would love to make this recipe in cupcake size or even muffins, or better yet, muffin tops (I love that pan). Any suggestion on how long to bake?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Jen,
Quick breads and muffins, although simular, are not quite the same in texture and moisture. I doubt you would be happy.
A couple of suggestions. First, find a specific pumpkin muffin recipe. Second, you can adapt something like my https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/really-good-banana-nut-muffins/ using pumpkin and the spicing from here into that recipe and the pumpkin for the banana... that may well work. That recipe does has some discussion on jumbo and mini muffins.
I have never done muffin tops but like most baking of recipes like this, the old fashion toothpick test as an end point almost always works.
Let me know that you try.
Dan
Elaine Katz
Dan,
where can I find your other recipes?
~Elaine
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Elaine,
First the OJ question. I'm sure it would work. You don't have to have a dairy product in a quick bread. Beer bread comes to mind. But I question the taste combo. It is up to you since recipes are just guidelines anyway. See https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/so-how-is-recipe-like-pirate-code/
Now about the other recipes. In the menu at the top of every page is a Recipes section that will take you to the https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/recipes/ where you can access all the recipes (about 450 total). They are searchable, or you can look at categories or by month published (but many older ones have moved to a more current date.
Dan
Elaine Katz
FYI...I purchased 'pumpkin spice' at ALDI for $1.69.
can I substitute fresh squeezed orange juice for milk?
~thank you, Elaine
Elaine Katz
thank you so much for responding to my question re: using brown sugar
in your (pumpkin bread) recipe.
I plan to make it this wkend & I will let you know how it comes out. I also
will add 1 tsp. of vanilla...is that ok?
thanks again...can"t wait, my mouth is already watering. have a great
holiday...
~Elaine Katz
Elaine Katz
going to make the pumpkin bread this weekend..sounds delish!
can I substitute brown sugar for all or half the 1 cup sugar? I have NEVER
commented on this site before.. can you please answer my question?
~thank you
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Elaine,
Welcome to the blog.
Yep. port or all. All brown sugar is just white sugar with some molasses. Dark has more molasses than light.
It will change the taste just a bit. I suspect in a good way. Also, if you didn't notice, I adjusted the sugar down in in this recipe. Most other recipes use 2 cups of sugar. One used 3 cups. I thought even 1 1/2 cup was too sweet.
Enjoy your bread.
Dan
PS I deleted the other comment.
Elaine Katz
going to make the pumpkin bread this weekend..sounds delish!
can I substitute brown sugar for all or half the 1 cup sugar?
Brizn
If you would have wrote that you used 1/2 the sugar in the ingredients or directions I did read your notes until after and it needs more sugar taste very bland
Lorraine
I'm excited to make this! Like Gina, I'm going to substitute pumpkin pie spice for your homemade blend. How much pumpkin pie spice should I use?
DrDan
I have not done this with pumpkin pie spice but the total amount of spice is 2 teaspoon so 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoon seems reasonable.
DrDan
Gina
Yumm, this looks amazing! I'll have to pick up some pumpkin and try this I think. Will be substituting "pumpkin pie spice" for your homemade blend simply because it's what I already have and nutmeg seems to be crazy expensive here on its own. Thanks for the wonderfully simple recipe!