Pumpkin Bread
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Kids love it, grown-ups love it…this pumpkin bread is hard to beat!
My grandmother clipped this pumpkin bread recipe from a magazine over 50 years ago, and it is my most-cherished family recipe. One of my clearest childhood memories is baking the loaves with my mom and carting them off to every neighborhood potluck and holiday party. Now I bake pumpkin bread with my own kids, and it’s just as wonderful today as it was back then. It’s easy to make — just a bit of mixing and stirring, pop it in the oven, and, in about an hour, you’ll have a house smelling of sweet autumn spices and two scrumptious, pumpkiny loaves.
Above, you can see the original recipe from my grandmother’s recipe box—it’s definitely seen its share of spills! After a bit of research, I discovered that the recipe was first published in the McCalls Cook Book (Random House, 1963). It is a typical sweet quick bread, similar to banana bread or cranberry nut bread, leavened with baking powder and/or baking soda instead of yeast. Quick bread batter can often be used to make muffins, and my pumpkin muffins are nearly identical to this bread, but with the addition of a pecan streusel topping.
What You’ll Need To Make Pumpkin Bread
How To Make Pumpkin Bread
Begin by combining the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. I like to add everything in neat little piles in case I lose track of what I’ve added.
Whisk well and set aside.
Combine the butter and sugar in a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer.
Beat until just combined. It will look a little crumbly.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Continue beating for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the pumpkin.
Beat until combined. It will look a little curdled or grainy — that’s okay.
Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture.
And beat on low speed until just combined.
Transfer the batter to loaf pans.
Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Let the loaves cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
That’s all there is to it. Enjoy!
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Video Tutorial
Pumpkin Bread
Kids love it, grown-ups love it…this pumpkin bread is hard to beat!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (15-oz) can 100% pure pumpkin (I use Libby's)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Generously grease two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans with butter and dust with flour (alternatively, use a baking spray with flour in it, such as Pam with Flour or Baker's Joy).
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk until well combined; set aside.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until just blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Beat in the pumpkin. The mixture might look grainy and curdled at this point -- that's okay.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.
- Turn the batter into the prepared pans, dividing evenly, and bake for 65 – 75 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Fresh out of the oven, the loaves have a deliciously crisp crust. If they last beyond a day, you can toast individual slices to get the same fresh-baked effect.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (24 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 166
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Sugar: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 117 mg
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This is my most requested baked good and has been for years now! Such a great recipe (I would say fall recipe, but I’ve made this all-year round upon request)!
Excuse my ignorance, but is there any particular reason you use AP flour instead of bread flour? Thanks very much!
I’m so glad you love the pumpkin bread! Great question about the flour. I use all-purpose because it has just the right amount of protein to keep the texture soft and tender. Bread flour has more gluten-forming protein, which would make it chewier—great for yeast breads or pizza dough, but not ideal for quick breads. Quick breads are really more like muffins or cake in texture, so you want them light and moist, not structured or chewy. Hope that clarifies!
Thank you so much for this explanation! Really appreciate the insight!
Love this recipe! My son wants me to sub brown sugar for white sugar- would this work/have you tried this?
Hi Melissa, I’m so glad you love the pumpkin bread! I haven’t tested it with brown sugar, and I wouldn’t really recommend it here. Brown sugar adds extra moisture and a stronger molasses flavor, which can make the bread heavier and change the texture. Sorry!
I line up the ingredients in a row according to the recipe, then set each item to the side after I’ve used them.
I followed the recipe, except for changing sugar from 2 cups to 1. Its the best loaf I’ve made!
Hi Jennifer, we recently just found out that our daughter allergic to cinnamon and nutmeg 😠but she loves pumpkin bread of yours. Is there any substitute you think that could work to make any pumpkin recipe ? 😢 I was researching about allspice and ginger. Would both of those works? And how much should I substitute if it can work ? Thank you so much !
Hi Josie, That’s tough, especially with all the fall favorites! The good news is you can definitely still make pumpkin bread without cinnamon and nutmeg. I’d suggest using ginger and allspice, just as you mentioned, in the same amounts — they’ll give you plenty of warmth and flavor. Hope it turns out well!
I have made this recipe several times & always get rave reviews! So moist and delicious!
I have been using this recipe for a few years now. It’s a fall favorite that my family and I look forward to making every year.
If you want to take it to the next level puree your own pumpkin instead of using canned pumpkin puree. Just make sure you’re using a pie pumpkin. Once you do you’ll never go back to the canned stuff!
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times and it is so delicious!
The only thing is mine doesn’t rise much. Is there anything I can adjust to help with that?
Hi Jennifer, Are you by chance using larger loaf pans than what is called for?
I just measured and the pans are the correct size. I also read somewhere that if the baking powder and soda are old sometimes that can affect rising so I purchased new products. I just made this recipe again because we love it but mine rise to just 2 inches and it looks like in your picture they rise just above 3 inches right above the rim of the pans. I can’t think of why mine don’t rise as well.
You’re right – mine are usually about 3 inches tall. It sounds like you’ve done everything right — are you 100% sure your loaf pans are 8 x 4-inches and not 8½ x 4½? (The half inch sounds minor, but does make a difference.)
I used the right size pans but it didn’t rise much. I also baked it for 60 mins and it was over cooked on sides and bottom. Any advise.
Hi Estell, regarding portions of the bread being overbaked, are your pans dark metal or glass? Both dark metal and glass absorb heat more than lighter colored metal and can cause the sides and bottom of baked goods to cook more quickly than the centers. And these don’t rise very much (they’re more like a cake than a bread). Mine are usually about 3 inches tall. How tall would you say yours came out?
I’m planning to make this, but wouldike to add crushed walnuts and chocolate chips, how much of each would be appropriate for this recipe?
Hi Jill, I’d suggest about 3/4 to 1 cup of each. Enjoy!
I have the same issue! I use the called for pan size, and the loaves are pretty flat.
I’ve been making this for couple years now and it’s my favorite bread recipe! I sometimes add a 1/2 bag chocolate chips. An easy recipe and everyone that tries it, loves it too! Easy to freeze as well. Thank you so much! – Jen B
Hi Jenn,
As an avid fan of your Pumpkin Bread recipe, if I wanted to add walnuts to the batter, how much would you suggest?
Thank you in advance!
Hi Susan, Glad you like it! I’d add a half cup, give or take, of chopped walnuts.
Omg I was skeptical because my batter was so grainy looking (even though the recipe said this is fine) but… it turned out amazinggg! So so moist. Half the loaf is gone already! Will be making again for sure.
I made the pumpkin bread this morning and it was a HIT!
I swapped out one of the cups of sugar for 2/3 cups of maple syrup and it was incredible.