The BEST Pumpkin Bread
This is the BEST Pumpkin Bread you will ever taste with its incredibly soft and moist texture, plush crumb and perfectly spiced pumpkin flavor. I take "moist" very seriously, because a lot of times it is confused with "mushy". My loaf recipes are very moist while still have a uniform crumb and solid structure. Have you ever seen a pumpkin or banana bread with that dark line across the bottom? That means the recipe is not designed well. The batter can't hold its own weight and collapses onto itself. Not this one! It is so easy to make in one bowl with simple ingredients, and it bakes up tall with a crunchy cinnamon sugar crust that you will find irresistible. This delicious pumpkin bread stores very well and will stay moist for days on your countertop. When baking season rolls around, I find myself making all types of loaves, like my best Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, this Apple Cinnamon Bread and of course, this pumpkin beauty. Enjoy this cozy treat during the Fall season, or any time of the year. If you love baking with pumpkin, check out my Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Bread and my Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies as well!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy recipe, no mixer - this pumpkin bread recipe is foolproof, and uses the typical quick bread mixing technique where you combine dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in a separate bowl, and then blend them together. You can also use just one bowl by adding in the dry ingredients individually to the wet ingredients. The advantage of mixing the dry ingredients separately is that you get a more even distribution for a more uniform crumb.
- Moist pumpkin bread - this pumpkin bread is super moist! It just melts in your mouth without being dense, gummy or pasty. The proportions of ingredients are just right to account for the moisture in the pumpkin puree, as well as its carbohydrate and fiber components which contribute structure. Using pumpkin in recipes means you can reduce the amount of flour slightly, otherwise the crumb can be dense and dry.
- Perfect crumb - my pumpkin bread bakes up with a lovely plush, soft texture and stays soft and moist even days after you make it. Oil keeps the texture soft even during refrigeration. The crumb is uniform all throughout. If you've ever seen a dense, dark layer at the bottom of pumpkin loaf, then it's likely that the wet and dry ingredient proportions are not balanced. Also, too much egg can cause this, and you can read down below in my FAQ section to learn more about this phenomenon.
- Pure pumpkin flavor - this recipe is packed with pumpkin so that you get the perfect amount of flavor without making the crumb dense or mushy.
- Perfectly spiced - pumpkin is a rather neutralizing ingredient and it really needs the spice flavors to shine. The fragrant spices are so cozy and warming, and they pair with pumpkin so well. You can use my homemade pumpkin pie spice for that classic taste. In this recipe I also provide the option of adding spices individually.
- Cinnamon sugar topping - just a little brown sugar and cinnamon creates a dramatic crust on top that you will want to nibble off before anyone gets a slice!
INGREDIENTS FOR THE BEST PUMPKIN BREAD
- Canned pumpkin - I prefer to use canned pumpkin for my pumpkin recipes because it is easily accessible and inexpensive. You can also make it yourself, but it is important to reduce it down so it is very thick otherwise the moisture balance will be off in the recipe. Make sure you use pure pumpkin and NOT pumpkin pie filling which has sugar and spices already added.
- Oil - this recipe uses oil which keeps the texture so soft even after refrigeration. It has a neutral taste so that the pumpkin flavor shines.
- Granulated sugar - simple white sugar will add the right amount of sweetness and keep the texture moist.
- Brown sugar - some brown sugar adds caramel-like flavor due to the molasses content and it really complements the pumpkin and the spices. You can use light brown or dark brown sugar.
- Eggs - two large eggs will add nice structure and help with the soft spongy texture.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will add rich undertones. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Milk - I recommend using whole milk or 2% milk for this recipe and it helps if it is at room temperature.
- All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works great for loaf cake recipes.
- Pumpkin pie spice - you can use my homemade pumpkin pie spice or add individual spices as outlined in the recipe.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
Homemade pumpkin pie spice is easy to make and it is majority cinnamon with ginger, nutmeg, clove and sometimes allspice. To make your own blend for this pumpkin bread recipe, blend equal parts ground clove and ground nutmeg, with twice as much ginger and 8 times as much cinnamon. This recipe below will give you a small batch of just over 1 ½ tablespoons of pumpkin pie spice:
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground clove
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST PUMPKIN BREAD
- STEP 1). Combine wet ingredients. Combine pumpkin puree with both types of sugar in a large bowl and whisk to blend well and help dissolve the sugar. Add eggs and oil and whisk to incorporate. Mix in milk and vanilla until smooth.
- STEP 2). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt into a large bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
- STEP 3). Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add these dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and fold together until evenly combined, being careful not to over-mix.
- STEP 4). Sprinkle cinnamon sugar. Spread batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and blend well. Sprinkle it all over the top of the batter.
- STEP 5). Bake. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking if desired for even browning on top.
- STEP 6). Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 20-30 minutes before lifting out of the pan and allowing to cool further. Serve it warm, cold or at room temperature. It is moist and delicious either way.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS (watch the recipe video at the bottom of the page for a full tutorial)
Combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl and mix well.
Mix in eggs.
Add oil, milk and vanilla and whisk to blend well.
Sift together all of the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients.
Fold gently to combine.
Do not over-mix.
Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over top.
Draw a line down the center and bake!
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR THE BEST PUMPKIN BREAD
- Use canned pumpkin. Making your own pumpkin puree is lovely, however it can yield inconsistent results since it is difficult to precisely measure the amount of moisture in the final product. Using canned pumpkin will yield consistent results for baking.
- Blend the dry ingredients evenly, and even sift them for best results. Sifting helps break up lumps in flour and evenly distributes the raising agents for an even rise and fine-textured crumb.
- Do not over-mix the batter. Once the flour is mostly combined (with a few light streaks), then the batter is ready for baking. Since loaf and brad batter is more lean with less sugar than cake batter, it is more likely to develop gluten and result in a tougher texture. Having said that, this recipe is almost fool proof! Even if you did over-mix it will likely turn out fine, but it may develop a dense gummy layer near the bottom.
- Pre-heat the oven sufficiently. Putting any batter in a cold oven can lead to a dense and gummy cake. Loaf cakes that have a low surface area from a high volume of batter in a deep pan require sufficient heat to kick-start the leavening agents and lift the batter up.
- Do not over-bake. It's easy to over-bake a loaf since the dead center usually takes a while to cook through when there's little surface area. My tip is that when you see that it is well risen and the top is deeply browned but a skewer still comes out with some wet batter, it's really just a few minutes away - not 10 minutes away. So, stay close and keep checking on it.
- Cover the top of the loaf with foil if it browns too quickly. I usually place a sheet of foil loosely over the loaf (like a tent) after the first 30 minutes of baking if it is getting too dark on top.
RECIPE FAQ
You can use butter instead of oil for this recipe and it will work well. The difference will be that the crumb will be more firm since butter is a hard fat that is solid at room temperature.
Pumpkin pie spice is easy to make at home! Just follow my recipe here. For this particular recipe, I prefer to omit the allspice, however you can make it to your taste.
I use canned pumpkin puree for baking for two main reasons: 1). Consistency - if I buy the same brand all the time then I am guaranteed to have the same results. Homemade pumpkin puree will vary in moisture content depending on how long you cook it; and 2). Ease! - it's so much easier to use canned pumpkin and the quality is just as good.
Since you don't need a whole can of pumpkin puree for this recipe, I always freeze the rest and use it for another recipe later on - it works so great! You can freeze it in an ice cube tray or just spoon portions of it into a ziptop bag and freeze. You can also stir it into soup, which is so delicious!
If you've ever seen a dense, dark and gummy layer at the bottom of your loaf cakes, it is a sign of a recipe flaw or a result of over-mixing the batter. Loaf cakes have a low surface area which means there is a lot of batter in a small pan. When there is too much egg in a loaf batter, it will initially soufflé, puff up and trap air, but since the weight of the batter is too much for the eggs to hold, the loaf sinks on cooling. This creates a dense layer along the base. Also, too much moisture can also add to this problem.
FREEZING AND STORAGE
Store pumpkin bread covered well in an airtight container at room temperature.
Pumpkin bread keeps well for 3 days at room temperature, or up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can freeze this pumpkin bread. Wrap the whole loaf well in plastic, then wrap it in foil and store in a zip lock bag for up to 3 months in the freezer. Alternatively, you can wrap individual slices and store them frozen as well.
If you love baking with pumpkin and making quick breads, check out these recipes!
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Video
The BEST Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bread Batter:
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (10oz) pure pumpkin puree
- ½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup (80ml) neutral oil such as sunflower or canola oil
- ¼ cup (60ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (215g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon*
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger*
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg*
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves*
- ½ teaspoon fine table salt
Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
- 1 tablespoon (15g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
*You can also add 1 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice (or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice) in place of all of the spices
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8.5x4.5-inch loaf pan with parchment leaving a 2-inch overhang along the sides for easy removal.
- Combine pumpkin puree with both types of sugar in a large bowl and whisk to blend well and help dissolve the sugar. Add eggs and oil and whisk to incorporate. Mix in milk and vanilla until smooth.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt into a large bowl and whisk to blend evenly. Add these dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and fold together until evenly combined, being careful not to over-mix.
- Spread batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and blend well. Sprinkle it all over the top of the batter. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking if desired for even browning on top.
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 20-30 minutes before lifting out of the pan and allowing to cool further. Serve it warm, cold or at room temperature. It is moist and delicious either way.
