Pumpkin Bread
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
This is the original recipe from my grandmother’s recipe box; as you can see, it has seen its share of spills! After a bit of research, I discovered that the original recipe was published in the McCalls Cook Book (Random House, 1963). It is a typical sweet quick bread, similar to banana bread or cranberry nut bread, in that it is leavened with baking powder and/or baking soda instead of yeast. Quick bread batter can usually be made into muffins; my pumpkin muffins are almost identical to this bread but with a crunchy 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 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 65-75 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!
YOu may also like
- Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Pumpkin Glaze
- Pumpkin Cake
- Pumpkin Cornbread Muffins
- Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Muffins
- Cake Pans to Cookie Sheets: 16 Essential Baking Pans
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
This sounds terrific and I love pumpkin! I bake bread without salt because my husband can’t have sodium. My bread turns out great with no salt. I have “no sodium” baking powder but can’t use baking soda for this recipe. Should I use more baking powder? Thanks!
Hi Janice, unfortunately, I don’t think this will work without the baking soda — I’m sorry!
Will salted butter work?
Yes – While it varies by brand, most salted butter has approximately 1/4 tsp. salt per stick, so you can use the salted butter and reduce the salt in the recipe as needed. Hope you enjoy!
This is THE pumpkin bread recipe! I made it exactly as written and would not change a thing. We love this bread. Thanks for sharing!
Hi. I loved this recipe!! I might have added a bit more cloves than needed but it still tastes good!! I definitely want to try making this for Christmas. Thank you for sharing your recipe. God bless! 💕
I made mine into small loaves so they only took about 40 minutes. Great recipe! I added choc. chips to mine and it turned out great.
This recipe has become ‘Dad’s famous pumpkin bread’ to our family! =) Can you recommend a baking time for smaller pans? We like to make mini loaves as gifts, but haven’t dialed in the timing right. Thanks for sharing!
So glad it’s a family hit! I’d start checking mini loaves at 35 minutes. Hope your recipients enjoy!
Can I use butternut squash instead of pumpkin?
Sure, Kate, that will work. Please LMK how it turns out!
Okay, it’s high time I comment here after making this bread for two years. I use silicone pans, which make it real easy to turn out the loaves. After probably 20 batches that have turned out beautifully in two different ovens, I can say that this is a perfect recipe! Thank you!!
I make this recipe a lot during the fall/winter and I really like it! Everyone always wants me to bake more once they’re done. Thanks for such a great recipe!
So moist and flavorful! Exactly what I had hoped for! Can’t wait to make this again — thank you!
Mine did not rise like the one in the recipe. I am not sure the exact pan size but I am sure it was not more than 9 inch. ( 9×4). Mine was a little chewy. I used King Arthur unbleached all purpose flour. It was too sweet for me. Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead of the spices in the recipe? any suggestions for my second try? Thank you.
Hi Barbara, I strongly suspect the reason yours did not rise like what you see in the pictures is due to the size of the pan you used. (Although 1 inch doesn’t sound like it would make much of a difference, it can!) If you make this again, I’d recommend using the 8 x 4“ loaf pans. And yes, you can use pumpkin pie spice in place of the other spices. You’ll need a total of 1 tablespoon. Hope that helps!
Thank you, I will make it again with the right pan size.
This recipe is so simple yet so delicious! I subbed in cake flour instead of all-purpose and it made it super fluffy. Highly recommended.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! Adjust the sugar, or don’t – I’ve made it both ways and still it’s delicious, moist and unexpectedly light for all the decadence poured into it. I appreciate your work very much and so do all the happy stomachs of my husband, and my mother and my father and my brother and my sister in-law and their two kids and my neighbors and… 🙂
🙂
Made this recipe. Very moist and delicious but did not rise very much at all?? 🤷🏻♀️
It’s just under 2’’ 🙁
Hi Narda, this doesn’t rise a ton, but it should be at least 3 inches high. Did you use 8 x 4-inch loaf pans?
Can this be made as a bundt if i double the recipe?
Hi Yan, If you’d like to make a pumpkin bundt cake, I’d recommend this (it’s from my first cookbook). Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Hi Jenn. This is an absolutely wonderful bread…none better. I have made it several times and added nuts. It turned out fine. I would like to add raisins this time. Should I soak them first, or just add them from the box?
So glad you like it, Steve. You can just add the raisins straight from the box. 🙂
THE BEST pumpkin bread I have ever made or tasted! Hands down. I’ve already shared this recipe with so many friends and family. I used the full batter amount in a large loaf pan and just added on another 15 mins or so to the baking time. It came out SOOOO moist and flavorful. Thank you for sharing!
I have made this recipe many, many times and it’s delicious! I love that it’s made with butter instead of oil. My family loves it! Thank you for such a great recipe!
This is the best pumpkin bread recipe I have ever made. I added raisins and used fresh pumpkin. This is a keeper for sure.
This is a winner. I make this for family and friends. Only problem: no one wants to share. It’s really that good.
Ha – glad it was a hit! 🙂
I had people who didn’t think they liked pumpkin bread ask for more. I’m doing it again. Awesome. I love the old fashioned flavor. The cloves made a difference.
This is the best pumpkin bread ever. Moist and flavorful.
Follow the directions and you will have no problems.
Yeah I even accidentally doubled the amount of butter and it still turned out great!
🤣🤣🤣🤣It wasn’t greasy with 3 sticks of butter?
I haven’t made pumpkin bread since I was 8 and made this recently- and it turned out so amazing!!!! <3
Very easy recipe to follow and always excellent results. Tried it with honey to replace the sugar. Used 1 1/3 cups of honey instead of 2 cups of sugar and reduced the pumpkin 12oz to balance the moisture of the honey. baked at 325. Turned out wonderful and only lasted the day. Thanks for the great recipe.
This is an excellent recipe and I found the ratio of spices perfect. I baked small loaves measuring about 7″ x 2″ x 2 1/2″ (one-use, baking paper lined forms) and included them in takeaway gift bags following Thanksgiving dinner. One recipe made three loaves. Definitely recommend.
This pumpkin bread was amazing. It was flavorful and very moist. I made it for my family and they loved it. My sister enjoyed it the most because she asked me to make it again for her.
This was the best Pumpkin bread I’ve made. Everyone loved it including my grands! I have two more cans of pumpkin, I’m probably going to make this again and try the pumpkin scones but the pumpkin muffins sound delicious as well! Thank you Jenn for this recipe.
Thank you soo much for sharing your grandma’s recipe! It’s the best pumpkin bread recipe!
I added 1/4 cup less sugar, it still turned out great and got approved by my son.
I also sifted the flour, which I always do while baking.
The pumpkin bread is so light and fluffy, I got compliments from many friends I shared it with.
This was my 1st time making this recipe and wow was it amazing. I think it has the perfect balance of spices,sweetness, and pumpkin taste.
I have literally made this recipe twice in a few days. This is so freaking good! My family goes through a loaf in a few minutes flat. I just used pumpkin pie spice instead of buying every spice. This will be my go to now every fall season!
This is the perfect pumpkin bread recipe! The spice level is exactly what I was looking for! Flavorful and moist- a delight! Everyone loved it. This is definitely a keeper.
I tried this recipe and the bread is tasty but it’s a little too spicy. I think the taste of the cloves is a little bit overpowering. Otherwise delicious bread.
I thought the same thing. I added some cool whip to help tone it down. Will have to make again with a few adjustments.
Agreed, overall terrific but I taste the cloves a bit too much for personal taste. Have you remade it with less clove? Just reduce it or sub with another spice?
The only spice I taste is cloves, I will halve or 1/4 it next time. Overall, I love texture, taste and the fact that it uses butter instead of oil. Beautiful loaves. I also added semi-sweet chocolate chips and it is great.
After slightly reducing the cloves, just a hair, every other detail of this recipe is on point, especially the sifting, the brown sugar, it is a perfect pumpkin bread.
Made this as directed except substituted splenda for the sugar (I’m diabetic). Apparently that changed the whole thing because after an hour baking at 325 all I had was pumpkin mush, complete failure.
If you substitute and don’t follow the recipe you don’t get to put a 1 star. As written, this recipe produces a beautiful and delicious pumpkin bread.
Finally common sense! I absolutely go bonkers when someone gives a bad rating because they made substitutions and then complain cause it doesn’t taste right. And really SPLENDA!!
This pumpkin bread is perfect. The result turns out moist and full of flavor. I was worried before cooking it because the batter was quite thick and I assumed it may cook to be too dry… but nope! Super moist with the right amount of firmness along the edges. I’m definitely adding this one to my recipe collection.
This is one of the most disgusting pumpkin desserts made on this earth. Really disappointed.
Seriously!!!! I made it last night and was dumbfounded how it has so many high reviews. You guys it has so much sugar it’s disgusting. I even used the last of my fresh pumpkin purée and I’m pissed I wasted it on this. I’m throwing it away!
So cut the sugar down and don’t complain. I make this all the time and do a slight cut back on the sugar, and its perfectly fine.
Has anyone tried to reduce the amount of sugar? I’m wondering how much I could reduce and still have it turn out! Thank you.
Hi Tiffany, You could get away with reducing the sugar by 1/2 cup. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
I reduced to one cup. Still great!
I have to say that I have made this recipe for about 5-6 years now and everytime it has been a hit!! I make this pumpkin bread for coworkers, friends, and family every year and is now a staple for fall and Thanksgiving! My family and I aren’t big fans of pumpkin pie and I just love the smell of fresh pumpkin pies baking, so this recipe changed the game and I get to enjoy that delicious pumpkin smell every year. **A little tip is to make the pumpkin bread the day before Thanksgiving and you will wake up to a delicious treat with your morning coffee and it puts you directly into cooking mode!
This was a wonderful recipe. I actually made one loaf and then divided the rest into 11 cupcakes which were wonderful with a cup of coffee. Thanks so much for sharing. my friends and family will love them!
Hello, can you tell me how long you baked the muffins
Hi Anna, If you want to make muffins, I’d recommend using this recipe (you can omit the streusel) if you’d like. Hope you enjoy if you make them!
I’ve made this recipe three times this past week for multiple people and everyone loved it, it’s the perfect moist texture and so flavorful with all the spices, and a strong pumpkin flavor which is missing in other pumpkin bread recipes. I absolutely love it!
Can anyone tell me how to bake this at a high altitude?
Hi MJ, I don’t have experience baking at high altitudes so, unfortunately, I don’t have any wisdom to share – I’m sorry! You may find these tips helpful though. (And hopefully, another high altitude reader will weigh in with some tips.) 🙂
I have never eaten or baked a pumpkin bread before ( not born and raised here 🙂 thus I was not sure how it s gonna be but I decided to give this recipe a try. Btw, I am a decent baker and picky with cakes &bread. I did make some changes: used only 1 cup sugar, 2/3 tsp cloves, only 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp baking powder, and add 1 tsp cardamom. Kept everything else the same. The result turned out very moist, nice texture, and flavorful. Baked it as one big loaf and brought to work. It was gone very fast. Every one loved it. Thank you very much for sharing the recipe. Now my coworkers are checking out your website 🙂
Can you use just regular butter instead of salted?
Hi Claudia, The recipe calls for unsalted butter. If you’d like to use salted, you would reduce the salt in the recipe to a scant 1/4 teaspoon.
Can you use fresh pumpkin?
Sure, as long as it is the consistency of canned.
I am only able to bake one loaf at a time, what temp and for how long would you recommend?
Hi Erin, I would stick with the same time and temperature. Enjoy!
Hi. I only have 9×5 pans. Should I I increase the portion? I am not an experienced baker. Thanks!
Hi Mariam, If you only have 9 x 5-inch loaf pans, I’d increase the batter by 1.5 and bake in two 9 x 5’s. Bake time may be a touch longer but oven temp should remain the same. Hope that helps!
We tried this 3 times. Each time we threw everything out. This is a terrible recipe. We had to keep in the oven more and more and it would leave the center wet and the sides burned..
Delicious!!!! The only substitution I made was to use unrefined coconut oil instead of butter and brown sugar instead of white. The flavours blended very nicely. While it was baking, the whole house smelled like Christmas!!! I will definitely make this again. 😊
Adding toasted walnuts to recipe, what quantity would you suggest? Thanks
Hi Richard, I’d go with 3/4 to 1 cup.
Many thanks. I used your zucchini bread recipe as a basis for pumpkin bread before I noticed this recipe. Both great. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi! Can you sub in almond flour?
Thanks!
Erica B.
I don’t recommend it – sorry!
I’d like to try this for Thanksgiving, but I know my family would love for it to have an icing or frosting. What would you use and do you offer a recipe for it? 🙂 Thank you in advance!
Hi Tina, I’d use the frosting recipe from this pumpkin cake. Hope everyone enjoys!
This Pumpkin Bread is great. Really moist. I add Craisins and Walnuts. I have 5×9 loaf pans so they baked in about 50 minutes. I used 3 teaspoons of Pumpkin Pie seasoning instead of individual spices. Great Fall recipe!
Can you add walnuts? it’s not in the recipe but i was thinking about a load with and without. also is it super moist or more on the dry side
Sure, Amber – walnuts would work well here, and the bread is very moist.
This was an amazing recipe that I would most definitely make again. I used home processed pumpkin (you know, the jack-o-lantern intended pumpkin that I never carved for Halloween) Unless you have no taste buds, if you follow the recipe, this cake is full of tasty, spicy, fall flavor! Next time I make this, I think I might try some cream cheese frosting or a Cinnabon knock off frosting recipe with this.
This recipe made 12 LARGE muffins. NOTE: using the muffin tins decreased the cooking time by half. I placed both tins of 6 muffins into the oven at the same time and they were done in about 30 minutes. They freeze well too. I thought this recipe was perfection!
Could I use honey for the sugar?
Hi Stefanie, for the best results, I’d stick with the sugar. If you replace any of the sugar with honey, I’d keep it at a minimum.