Pumpkin Bread

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). The batter can also often be used to make muffins—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

• All-purpose flour: Be sure to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour, resulting in dry, dense bread.
• Baking soda, baking powder, and salt: The baking soda and baking powder work together to give the bread a nice rise, while the salt balances the sweetness.
• Ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg: This classic blend gives the bread its signature cozy pumpkin spice flavor. If your spices have been sitting in the pantry for a few years, it’s worth replacing them—fresh spices make a noticeable difference.
• Unsalted butter: Softened butter creams more easily with the sugar, creating a light, tender crumb. It should give slightly when pressed but still hold its shape.
• Sugar: Besides sweetening the bread, sugar helps keep it moist and contributes to its beautifully golden crust.
• Large Eggs: Bind the batter together and add richness and structure to the finished loaf.
• 100% pure pumpkin purée: Be sure to use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices. I always use Libby’s because it has a consistent texture and rich pumpkin flavor.
• Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. Whisking the dry ingredients first distributes everything evenly and helps prevent overmixing later, so every slice bakes up light, tender, and perfectly spiced.

Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until just combined. Don’t worry if the mixture looks a little sandy or crumbly at this stage—that’s completely normal.

Step 4: Add the pumpkin. Mix in the pumpkin purée until combined. The batter may look slightly curdled at this point, but don’t worry—it will come together once the dry ingredients are added.

Step 5: Add the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears into the batter. Be careful not to overmix, or the bread can become tough instead of soft and tender.

Step 7: Bake. Bake until the loaves are beautifully domed and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. Your kitchen will smell amazing long before they’re done!

Step 8: Cool and serve. Let the loaves cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. They continue to set up as they cool, making them easier to slice without crumbling.

Storage & Freezing

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, cover the bread loosely with aluminum foil or store it in a cake keeper at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freeze, let the bread cool completely, then wrap it securely in aluminum foil or freezer wrap, or place it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

The bread has a deliciously crisp crust when freshly baked. After the first day, simply toast individual slices for that fresh-baked effect.