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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If I wanted to make the smaller mini-loaf pans, do you think this batter will make 3 or 4? And how long would I cook them?
Same w/the apple cinnamon swirl cake, could that recipe be divided into half to make two small mini-loaf pans w/out affecting the cake?
Or, what recipe do you have that would work to make the smaller loaf pans for gifts?
Hi Ruby, I’ve never made these as mini loaves but a number of readers have commented that they have successfully. I’d estimate you’d get 3 to 4 mini loaves from this I’d start checking them at about 35 minutes (although they may take a little longer).
And the cinnamon swirl bread should work as well. I’d guess that it will make 2 loaves. The bake time will be shorter but I’m not sure by how much so keep a close eye on them. Hope your gift recipients enjoy!
I loved the way it turned out BUT I made some simple mods for slightly HEALTHIER carbohydrate. Sugar reduced to 1.25 cups split between sucanat/cane sugar. Butter reduced to 1 stick. Pumpkin purée turned into spaghetti squash (16 oz). I just blended squash into butter /sugar and added a heap of cinnamon powder . All ingredients were prepped night before . I split batter into 4 mini loaves and baked for 40 mins tops. Perfect outcome (for once!) 😜
By far, THE best pumpkin bread recipe ever! Amazing!
Another winner! The bread was moist, delicious, and disappeared in a flash! I want to make another batch right away but I need to make Jenn’s gingerbread cookies first. (the best gingerbread ever)
It’s perfect! It is so moist and flavorful, and the crust is delicious! This is the only pumpkin bread I’ll ever make.
Made your pumpkin bread and the flavor is wonderful.
My problem is the bread falls apart when I slice it.
What did I do wrong possibly…?
Hi Diana, did you let the bread cool completely before slicing it?
Thank you so much! The pumpkin taste definitely sprouted out at me in this recipe. I will keep this around for later keeping.
Such a great recipe, I usually don’t leave reviews but I had to. Thank you for sharing your grandma’s receipe with us. I just want to sag that I read the previous reviews and went easy on the nutmeg and cloves and also sprinkled the top with pumpkin seeds. All my family loved it so much♥️
OMG! I would make this a 10 star if I could. Absolutely delicious! The flavors really POP in your mouth. My DH said this should be my “go to” recipe from now on. Had two neighbors, that I shared with, that immediately ask for the recipe. Thank you for an excellent recipe.
I love your recipe and added some chopped pecans on the top. Thank you.
Excellent recipe! Thank you 😊 My boyfriend, dog, and I enjoyed both loaves immensely.
Made a triple batch of this and used mini-loaf pans to put into Christmas packages for family and friends. Very delicious, soft, moist texture and very flavorful with the quantity of spices used. Batter is light and fluffy, which I wasn’t expecting.
Had to substitute some margarine because I didn’t have enough butter. Used about a 1/3 of butter and remaining was margarine (sticks, not in tub). Worked out just fine.
Making more this evening….
Just a friendly heads up – nutmeg is toxic to dogs. I learned this a couple years ago.
Moist, Moist, Moist! Just a splendid recipe to say the least😋😋😋
Obviously I need to put my spin on it. I used pumpkin pie spice, 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup white and added raw pumpkin seeds to the mix along with a few on the top with some sugar crystals. It’s amazing!
How much pumpkin pie spice did you use?
Hi Christina, you’ll need 1 tablespoon. Hope you enjoy!
I made this with Bob’s All Purpose Gluten Free Flour and used 1 1/2 cups sugar instead of 2 cups. It was amazing. Thank you.
Did you use the 1:1 baking mix or just the flour?
Great bread!
This bread is moist and has great pumpkin flavor. I only had 9X5 loaf pans, so I bought 2 foil 8X4 pans and followed the recipe exactly. Turned out great. I love that it makes 2 loaves, one to freeze and one to enjoy now. Thanks!
Found a can of pumpkin in the pantry- decided to make this for a Thanksgiving treat. Perfect! I used pumpkin pie spice as a substitute for a couple of the spices but the texture was exactly what I want. Tastes better than the Starbucks version.
OMG! Made this. So moist!
We liked it! I think mine had too much seasoning by accident, but other than that I really enjoy it and would make again. Next time, I’ll pay closer attention to the spice measurements.
On the 2 star review, I have made this recipe many times for years.. you should check the oven of yours as it is probably broken and not heating to the proper temp. I live at high altitude and so adjust my oven to 350.
Wonderful recipe! I particularly loved the combination of spices and the detailed instructions. I did, however, add dried cranberries and walnuts to the recipe. I got rave reviews from family and friends! Thank you “Once Upon A Chef.”
Wanted to love this, chose it based off the 5 star review and we made it the night before Thanksgiving for our family dinner but are super disappointed. The clove gives an extremely strong taste of spice. Aside from that, it is not at all like a bread. It had the texture of raw bread or cake. We kept it in the oven for at least 75 minutes, it appeared done and came out of the pan fine but there is no ‘fluff’ to it just super moist and chewy as if undercooked.
The recipe is called pumpkin bread. But it is actually a cake loaf. The same as banana bread or any of the quick breads. They are meant to be a bit dense and moist. If it had no fluff to it you may have gone too heavy on the oil. The batter should be mixed just until incorporated and once in the oven keep the door closed so it can cook at an even temperature. Perhaps you might try it again.
This is the most amazing pumpkin bread recipe I have ever tried. Often times pumpkin bread recipes use vegetable oil so the loaves come out oily. This recipe uses no oil, uses less butter than most, and the bread some out amazingly moist. It’s addictive.
Can I use a Bundt pan instead of two loaf pans? How do I adjust the baking time?
Hi Lili, For a Bundt version of this bread, I suggest this recipe from my first cookbook.
This is by far the best pumpkin bread recipe I’ve tasted. Makes two loaves with not a lot of sugar or butter, and it is the moistest pumpkin bread you’ll ever taste. I added a cup of chocolate chips to the batter and coated the greased pans with turbinado sugar. Wonderful!
Jenn,
I made this recipe last night and it was so quick and easy that I made two more batches to give loaves away, I love to bake and share! When making the last batch I ran out of nutmeg so I substituted with ginger using 1/2 tsp, of course I had to taste that product after baking and it was delicious. The next time I will add the streusel topping as was suggested in an earlier comment, it sounds amazing. Thank you, and Happy Holidays to all.
I was surprised to see that it didn’t contain any oil and was hoping it would be moist with butter and it was. Anytime I can use butter instead of oil I am very happy. Excellent recipe.
Thank God for the comment section. Otherwise I would have rated this lower.
Instead of 1 teaspoon baking soda, I reversed it and used 1/2 teaspoon.
Instead of ½ teaspoon baking powder, I used 1 teaspoon as the commenter suggested.
Also I cut down on the clove and nutmeg and only added 1/4 tsp of each due to the overwhelming consensus it’s just too much spice overpowering the pumpkin.
I made sure to sue room temperature eggs and butter, something the recipe leaves out.
It says softened butter….softened butter is typically room temperature butter….as for room temp eggs, the rule of them is to typically use room temp anything when creaming ingredients.
You don’t like the ratio of spices alright adjust it and move on no need to be melodramatic with a “Thank God”.
As for the rest of the people browsing this recipe and the comments I say give the actual recipe a fair shake before making subs. Afterwards make any subs and tweaks based on what you do and don’t like about the base recipe
I’ve been making pumpkin bread for years. My old recipe called for vegetable oil, which I hate using because it’s not healthy. I made this recipe with vegan butter because I’m dairy-free. This is the best pumpkin bread my husband, son and I have ever had. Thank you for giving me my new pumpkin bread recipe.
I made this recipe and made 4 small loaves instead of two. I used white whole wheat flour and reduced the sugar to 1 1/2 cups. I added a teaspoon of ground ginger. I used the streusel topping from Jenn’s pumpkin muffin recipe but cut in cold butter into the brown sugar rather than using melted. I had to give away three of the loaves because I ate a one all by myself. The streusel topping was killer and totally kicked plain old pumpkin bread up several notches. It was a great addition to an already excellent recipe.
Just an FYI. My bread tester was clean after only 55 minutes of baking. Crossing my fingers it didn’t get over cooked,🤞
Jenn, This recipe was absolutely delicious! I bake a lot of quick breads and this is now on the top of my list! I cut back a little on cloves 1/2 teaspoon and only used 1 1/2 cups of sugar and it was still perfectly sweet and tasty. If you love sugar and more cloves go for it. It was so moist and such a treat with my tea after a long day of baking and Thanksgiving day prep. I gave the other loaf to our sweet, elderly neighbors and they loved it too! Thanks for sharing! PS. I love old cookbooks too. I inherited my mom’s old Betty Crocker cookbook that’s at least 45 years old and it’s held together with a large elastic as this point. It is a well-loved treasure.
Thanks Again.
Cant beat this pumpkin bread recipe. I embellish it a little though by adding fresh cranberries in the batter. I also sprinkle unsalted pumpkin seeds with a bit of sugar on top to gild the lily.
I made this pumpkin bread and loved the flavor. However, my bread just fell apart. I’m trying to figure out what went wrong. The only thing I changed was adding 1/2 tsp. Ginger. Any suggestions?
Hi Barbara, So sorry you had trouble! Did you let it cool before cutting it? Was it fully cooked through?
Hi Jenn, this recipe happens t be the best one I have tried, and I tried many. I made ne batch for Thanksgiving and it’s gone already. My young grandchildren loved it so much.
My second batch is in the oven as I am writing this. I need to hide them from my grandchildren lol
Thank you and a very Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving, Diane
❤️
I’ve been looking for a great pumpkin bread recipe and have tried lots. This is by far the best one ever! I’ve made it the past couple of years. This year I did make three minor changes. I used 1 1/2 cups vs 2 cups of sugar as I also made Jen’s crumble top from her pumpkin muffin recipe to top the bread and thought it would be to sweet. I also added 1/2 cup of chopped candied ginger to the bread mixture. In the past I have made it with 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (1 teaspoon was to strong for our taste) but realized mine expired so I substituted 1/4 teaspoon of all spice this one time. It was still beyond scrumptious! Jen, I love your recipies! Thanks for sharing them.
Jenn, I love all of your recipes, but this one is extra special. I made this pumpkin bread the day before my daughter was born. We brought a loaf to the hospital and gave it to the nurses on the Labor and Delivery floor. It was a hit, and this recipe will always hold a special place in my heart!
Aww…congrats on the birth of your daughter, Laura! So happy this recipe will be special for your family, too. ❤️
Best pumpkin bread recipe I have ever run across
A 10 out of 10, NEED I say more
Seems that I did everything like the recipe said but the cake didn’t grow. It looked like it’s growing fine at first but after I took it out of the over it went down by half and it’s far from looking like the picture. Maybe there are some baking tips that should be added here for people who know nothing about baking? 🙂
Hi Jojo, Sorry you had a problem with this! It doesn’t rise a ton (it’s more like a cake than a bread) but if it sunk after you removed it from the oven, but was likely a bit underbaked.
This is the best Pumpkin bread recipe!
Did everything right fresh ingredients 75 min 325 bread is too soft, more like over baked pudding. Can’t serve. Had correct pans. Gonna put back tomorrow try to save at 75 degrees.
That was a delicious moist easy to make pumpkin bread
Instructions were very clear
Pictures were beautiful
My husband was hoping for a cream but I liked it as is
I am making a thanksgiving trifle with one of the loaves
The other one is already half gone
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE BEST PUMPKIN BREAD I’VE EVER MADE OR EATEN! I’VE GIVEN THE RECIPE TO SEVERAL PEOPLE ALREADY!
Thank you for sharing this little “buried treasure” recipe! A lot of comments on how “moist” the bread comes out, and it is moist, but the quality I first noticed is that it’s not “dense”, it’s almost “fluffy” (?) in its lightness. I’ll credit the beating of butter and sugar for that?
I used my huge pan that makes 18 little 4″ loaves at a time, one batch gave me 18 little loaves plus 2 little ramekins. I also threw in a cup of chopped pecans and a cup of mini chocolate chips. It’s early for Thanksgiving so I’ll be doubling the recipe a few days from now.
Thanks again, Chef, for this lovely recipe!
If I want to make it Sunday for Thursday what’s the best way to store and serve? Refrigerate today and then reheat or freeze-defrost- reheat? Thanks
Hi Stephanie, I don’t think you need to freeze it. They keep nicely at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, so if you refrigerate them, I’d guess you could add a day or two onto that. Hope that helps!
Your grandmothers recipe says 9×5. Your says 8×4. Which is it?
8×4 🙂
AMAZING! Gotta try it!! If you want a perfect recipe, this is IT! No need to look any further. I did not add cloves (preference), but added a splash of vanilla and used some brown sugar. I did substitute some of the sugar with stevia. Serving it to our small group from church! Will keep this recipe for our own family! Thank you so much for sharing!
If using fresh pumpkin should I be sure to drain before adding to recipe?
Hi Sonja, Yes I think that’s a good idea. Enjoy!
This is a fantastic recipe and always consistent. It’s also the moistest darn recipe ever. I love when consistency comes easy and this recipe fits the bill. We’ve made four loaves in the past few days. It’s definitely gonna go on our list of baked gifts. I can see why it’s been around 50+ years.
I made it exactly as stated and didn’t make any modifications. Perfection!
I got the recipe from the Pioneer Cookbook originally. But Life has happened and I have gone looking for another. Here we are! I am very much looking forward to having pumpkin bread again. With raisins of course. With another recipe it came back to me after seeing it.
Let you know…