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.
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!
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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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As some have mentioned, the loaves are thin not tall. If I filled one loaf pan with most of the batter, would the cooking time change? It’s going to be a gift. I don’t want them to think I ran out of baking powder!😆
The taste is fantastic!!
Hi Sandi, I wouldn’t put most of the batter in one pan — it will turn out very dense — sorry!
I tried this and it was delicious! Fluffy ans not dense at all. I did cut the sugar in half for my toddler and also didn’t miss it. Fantastic recipe (have probably made it 10 times now)!
This recipe is a keeper! My family flipped over it! I followed the recipe to a “T”. It’s moist and the flavor is music to my tastebuds!
This recipe came out great!! Older recipes never fail to amaze me! They’re for sure underrated. I sprinkled a bit of cinnamon sugar on top for a finishing touch. Would putting water on a baking sheet along with the bread pans help cook the bread more evenly or prevent uncooked batter in the middle?
So glad you liked it. A water bath wouldn’t help it to bake more evenly. Did you find that it baked unevenly? If so, what material are your loaf pans?
Hi! The recipe seems easy and it looks delicious! I have a question: can you use a normal whisk? I don’t have access to an electric one. Thanks in advence 😊!
Hi JT, A mixer will really give you the most predictable results. That said, I think it would work (with some elbow grease) but not sure how it will impact the finished product. Please LMK how It turns out if you try it. 🙂
I’ve been making this recipe for three years now since I found it. I always use a fork to mix everything because I hate doing dishes. It has always turned out perfect! And I get an arm workout done at the same time. 🙂
Oh my! I have made so many recipes in my search for the best pumpkin bread and this is it! It is moist, buttery, the spices bring life to this loaf!!!! You serious can’t just eat one slice! Don’t be afraid to add those spices! I seriously thought this would not be as moist as it was. I followed the recipe exactly, I did not level off the spices when measuring, used all room temperature ingredients and it came out amazing! Very delicious and it will be my go to recipe for here in out!
I was eyeing the sugar/butter ratio thinking that is way too much sugar – yielded bread that didn’t rise much and spread out to have the texture of a too melty cookie.
I agree. I’m at higher altitude (6000 ft), so I dropped the sugar to 1 3/4 C and it was still too much leaving a bit of a sugar crust on top of the loaves. I used fresh pumpkin puree, though. So, the water content of my pumpkin is probably higher than with canned pumpkin. I also think the clove overwhelms; it’s very forward. I’d cut that back if using this recipe again.
Great recipe.
What changes would I have to make if I substitute half of the pumpkin quantity with banana mash?
Thanks
Hi Elka, I don’t think you’d need to make any modifications. I’d love to hear how it turns out — you may have given me an idea for a new recipe! 🙂
This recipe works great with lots of different fruits. I’ve made banana bread and persimmon bread using this recipe and kept the same quantity as needed for the pumpkin. Turned out great!
👍
One comment said that the ratios of baking soda and baking powder were backwards. Thoughts? Has anyone tried it that way?
can you substitute sugar with maple syrup? Is coconut oil recommended instead of butter?
I wouldn’t recommend maple syrup in place of the sugar, but you can use coconut oil (in its solid form) in place of the butter. Hope that helps!
My loaves were not very tall as one reader has stated. The taste was magnificent!
Hi Sandi, This bread is more like a cake than a bread and doesn’t rise very much. Glad you liked it!
The flavour is excellent, however my loaves didn’t end up very tall. I’m sure I measured the baking soda and baking powder properly. (Baked in 55 minutes). Next time I would make 1.5 x the recipe to make 2 loaves.
Hi Jen, This bread is more like a cake than a bread and doesn’t rise very much. Hope that clarifies!
Can I use pumpkin pie spice instead? And if so, how much?
Sure — I’d use 1 tablespoon. Enjoy!
Hey Jenn! I’ve made this bread too many times to count and it’s a family favorite! I’m making mini muffins with it this time. Any idea how long to bake?
Hi Stacia, So glad you like this! I’d start checking mini muffins 10 to 13 minutes (although they may take a few minutes longer).
Excellent! I’ve made it twice in a short period of time, and I don’t need to search any further for the perfect recipe. Love it!
It would be nice to know how much pumpkin is in a 15 oz can since some of us grow our pumpkins and use fresh rather than canned. Great recipe. I used two cups as my equivalent but maybe that was a little much. Also added ginger because what is pumpkin bread without ginger.
Hi Patti, 15 oz. is the equivalent of about 1.75 cups of pumpkin so you were close. Glad it came out nicely!
This is my go to recipe. I use whole wheat flour and half the sugar with a couple tablespoons of molasses to make it slightly healthier. Still great texture. Plenty sweet. Don’t skip the separate mixing of the butter and sugar like I did the first couple of times. Makes the bread much lighter.
Delish – baked as muffins. Made 24. Neighbor kids gobbled them “These are GOOD” they said!
*Did lessen sugar by about a 1/2 cup as added mini choco chips. Based on other comments reduced cloves bc serving to kiddos. Perfect. I might do full amount just for me but I LURVE cloves! OH ALSO – I did not mean to or intend to but I think I did accidentally did a full 1 teaspoon each of baking soda and powder but only by accident. Will make another batch and keep a top fave fall sweet muffin. Thanks for recipe!
The recipe doesn’t specify what kind of sugar to use, and the listed amount is way too much….in my opinion.
The rest of the recipe is fine. Thanks 🙂
Hi Tracy, Sorry if it was unclear! If I just use the word “sugar,” you can assume it’s granulated sugar. If it’s anything other than granulated sugar, I will specify that in the ingredients.
I use this recipe every year with fresh pumpkin purée and everyone raves over it. I make loaves and I also make muffins and mini muffins. The best recipe ever. This year I’m trying it with cream cheese buttercream for a Halloween party
I love using fresh pumpkin. How much did you use?
Hi Eliana, just in case Julia doesn’t see your question, you’ll need 1-3/4 cups pumpkin puree. Hope you enjoy!
Made this for the first time, today. Delicious! Will definitely be a regular in my baking rotation! Thank you for the share! 🎃
This is my favorite pumpkin bread recipe! No weird measurements and moist every time. I love to bake, but with three little ones it’s harder to do. Thanks for sharing a simple, delicious and reliable recipe for pumpkin bread!
This recipe is a perfect balance of pumpkin and spices. It’s moist, flavorful and not too sweet.
I cut it thick and made french toast out of it and words can’t describe how awesome it was.
Pumpkin bread was delicious! The only change I made was the amount of sugar and I added pecans. I made one loaf and 6 cupcakes. I had cream cheese frosting which I used on the cupcakes!
I am not a cook but was able to make these no this is no problem. I did not use 8 by 4 Pans I used 9 by 5 Pans which meant the cooking time was less. I made the bread for a preschool class snack. The teachers and the 3yo children ate it up. Compliments from everyone!
I love pumpkin and bake tons of pumpkin goodies during the fall. This is the best pumpkin bread recipe I’ve ever used and my husband asks for it on a weekly basis!
Hands down the most wonderful pumpkin bread I have ever had. Family loves it. So easy to make. Even more delicious with whipped cream cheese. I love because it makes two loaves. One for now and one for a friend or freezer. A big grateful thanks for sharing your grandma ‘s recipe.
This bread is delicious!! I made it for a work potluck and everyone loved it. Perfect pumpkin spice flavor, and not too sweet! Will make this again, thank you!!
I only have a 9×5 pan. How much should I fill this up?
Hi Lucy, I wouldn’t recommend making this in one 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. If you only have 9 x 5-inch pans, I’d increase the batter by 1.5 and bake in two of them. Bake time may be a touch longer. Hope that helps!
Loved the ease of the recipe and it was delicious!!!
I don’t have the right size loaf pans. Do you think this would work as cupcakes? Thanks.
Hi Emily, I have a muffin recipe I’d suggest you use. (You can omit the muffin topping if you’d like.) 🙂
Can this be made into muffins?
Hi Susan, If you’d like muffins, I’d suggest this recipe (you can omit the streusel topping if you’d like). Hope you enjoy if you make them!
Absolutely the best pumpkin bread I’ve ever tasted! Very moist, very spicy, very easy and best of all .. two loaves … one to eat and one to share (or hoard). This was sooo good… even my ornery neighbor thought it was wonderful. So glad you shared your grandmother’s recipe with us Jenn!
Wonderful and perfectly spiced. Thank you for an amazing recipe Jenn!!!
Quick breads are moister and hold together better when made with oil rather than butter. This “bread” had a cake like texture that was much dryer than my usual recipe made with oil. It also calls for entirely too much clove. I cut the clove in half and baked it for 55 minutes and it still wasn’t very moist. Not the best recipe I’ve tried.
Oh my! I have the original McCalls Cookbook, published in 1963. It was my first cookbook ever and no longer has its front cover! Sadly, I can’t seem to find the recipe in the book. It’s not under Quick Breads or Pumpkin. Regardless, I plan to give your grandma’s recipe a try. Thanks!
Good morning Jenn,
I plan to make this recipe and use the streusel topping from your pumpkin muffin recipe. Will the volume of streusel from the muffin recipe be enough for two loaves and do you think the streusel will interfere with slicing the bread?
I love your recipes, have made many, many and have never been disappointed.
So glad you like the recipes! I’d recommend making 1.5 times the topping to have enough to cover both loaves. Enjoy!
This is an excellent recipe! The pumpkin bread was moist and had a tender crumb. I was nervous about using a whole teaspoon of nutmeg, reduced to generous 1/2 tsp, but next time I make recipe I will use 1 teaspoon. Thought I was going to freeze second loaf , but it is quickly disappearing from my kitchen counter. Haha!! Thank you for sharing recipe!
I made this and my family loved it! I add about 3/4 cup of chopped pecans. Planning to take it to Bible study tomorrow, but there may not be any left!!😊
I tried to read through all of the comments before asking my question, but I didn’t make it to the end. So my apologies, Jenn, if you have already answered this. What are your thoughts about adding fresh cranberries to the pumpkin bread? If you think they would be good, about how many? 2 cups of whole berries? Or better to cut them in half? Many thanks for your advice—and for all of your spectacular recipes, photographs, and detailed instructions!!
Hi Sandy, So glad you like the recipes! You can definitely try adding fresh cranberries but I worry that they will add too much moisture — this bread is quite moist already. If you go forward with it, you may want to increase the flour by 1/2 cup. Please LMK how it comes out if you try it!
Thank you so much for sharing this delicious pumpkin bread recipe. My friends loved it, “it was so moist.” I’ll be sharing this a lot.
Thank you Chef Jenn!!!
Is it really two cups of sugar? Has anyone tried cutting it in half?
This recipe is delicious! I didn’t have clove or nutmeg so I used pumpkin spice. Great recipe!!
Hi Jenn – coming to you from Canada. We’ve just had our Thanksgiving, the fall colours are stunning in Ontario, so this recipe is right on point. I followed it to the letter except for 2 things – 1) reduced the cloves to 1/4 tsp just because we aren’t loves of intense clove taste 2) I didn’t have the required size of loaf pans so used 8 mini pans instead – baked at 350F for 30 minutes. The loaves have a slight “loft” to them – they really look lovely. They are cooling on the the rack as I write this (but the batter tasted awesome so I’m sure the loaves will too). Your recipes adorn our table both at the holidays and for everyday. Thanks for sharing and for the instructive tips you provide along the way!
Delicious, I substituted plain flour for rice flour as I’m gluten free. Melts in the mouth and second helpings is a must!
Personally wouldn’t call it a loaf, it’s a cake.
I have been baking and cooking for over 50 years and I can be stubborn about old favorite recipes. Well, I just made this recipe and with the grace of God, this will be my only Pumpkin Bread for the next 50 years! I am now a follower of your site. This is proof that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
Oops! I accidentally used a 796ml (27oz) can of pumpkin (my fault!) so the loaves didn’t rise as much and had a gummy texture. Other than that I would probably look for a different recipe with different types and amounts of sugar and spices – I reduced the sugar to 1 cup because 2 cups seemed excessive and reduced the cloves and nutmeg to 1/4 tsp because 1 tsp of each seemed overpowering. I do like spice so I added 1/4 tsp each of allspice and cardamom and 1/8 cup of mace as well as grating fresh ginger into the pumpkin puree. It would also be nice to replace some of the white sugar with brown sugar or molasses for depth of flavour.
Kim,
Your comment is like asking for directions, not following them at all and then complaining you got lost.
ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!! Very tasty and moist! Thank you!!🤗
I made this bread, and changed it slightly but I gave away to friends and they said it was outstanding! So I gave them your website! Thanks!
Amazing and everyone loved it! Wish it was healthy ingredients though.
Easy recipe!! I just made it today and it was not as dense as I thought it would be. It was falling apart as soon as I cut into it. It also seemed like it needed a little bit more salt flavor to balance, the sweet.
I will be making this bread again, but I will add more spices and I will try out salted butter to see if it brings out more flavor.
Hi Camille, Feel free to tweak the flavors to your taste. Regarding it falling apart, did you let it cool completely before slicing it? If not, that can definitely help.
I made this pumpkin bread and I added raisins and pecans. I also used whole wheat flour. I was afraid the whole wheat flour might make a difference but it was absolutely delicious. Very moist very flavorful. I did not cook it as long as the recipe called for because I like my bread to be more moist. I cooked it about an hour in two large loaf pans filled about halfway.
Love this recipe and make it a lot, but I have to say that the amount of cloves spice listed does NOT work for me. If I cut the amount of cloves in half it’s still way too much and overpowers the other flavors. 1/8 tsp clove is more the normal amount for pumpkin spice harmony. Please for the love of God, do not use a full tsp of cloves. Your taste buds will thank you. Also I usually cut the sugar in half and add chocolate chips. My kids like a bit more sugar than 1 cup, but if I do the full two cups my 7 year old says, “Not to be rude, but this is way too sweet.” 😂
This recipe is so easy and turned out great. It’s become a family favorite.
This bread was absolutely delicious!!!
It was moist and fluffy, and not too sweet. A slice perfectly paired with my breakfast of oatmeal. I highly recommend buttering the pumpkin bread before eating.
So freaking delicious, didn’t hold together too well but I do not even mind. Maybe cooking it a little longer would’ve helped but it’s amazing.