Don’t miss this easy pumpkin bread recipe! This quick bread is full of flavor and is moist with tender crumbs. The ingredients are a few, and this pumpkin bread comes together in no time. This recipe is packed with flavor from the pumpkin and the spice. It’s quick, delicious, and I promise that you’ll enjoy every slice. I share other substitutes and tips to make this fall baking a hit!
What is Pumpkin bread?
Pumpkin bread is a type of quick bread. Unlike regular bread and bread rolls, quick bread use chemicals as leavening agents instead of yeast. In other words, pumpkin bread is another loaf cake, but it is also called bread because it is baked in a loaf pan and looks like bread.
Pumpkin bread is famous in The United States of America, and instead of freshly pureed, pumpkin canned pumpkin can be used, and different nuts can be added to the dough.
Ingredients in the pumpkin bread recipe
I was so proud of myself after making pumpkin bread; of course, not all recipes come out perfect from the first time, but this version is perfection. I guess it’s the Fall season and the craving for those warm spices. Some of the quick bread is banana bread and pumpkin Crumble cake; I’m sure you’ll love these too, but today, let’s see what you’ll need to make flavorful pumpkin bread.
Pumpkin Puree – To save time, use canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling). I have used canned and freshly made pumpkin puree and couldn’t find any difference in taste. If you wish to make homemade pumpkin puree, you’ll find the steps in how-to make your pumpkin puree recipe.
All-purpose flour – Do not go for cake flour here; you need all-purpose flour for this recipe. The pumpkin puree adds a lot of moisture to the pumpkin bread, which might turn the bread made of cake flour into soggy bread.
Pumpkin spice – I made my pumpkin pie spice mix, and it was a hit, follow my recipe for a balanced flavor, or you can use your favorite pumpkin spice mix.
Baking powder and baking soda.
Sugar – You might get tempted to use brown sugar, but I won’t suggest it. Brown sugar has moisture, and this cake is already moist because of the pumpkin puree. Go for fine white sugar.
Butter and cooking oil – I have used butter and oil to add flavor and moisture to the bread. The butter will add richness and taste, and the oil will allow me to refrigerate the pumpkin bread without the fear of it going dry.
Eggs – Use two large or three medium eggs.
Raisins and vanilla – Vanilla enhances the flavor, and it always works in removing the egg's smell, besides giving the bread a great texture and tender crumbs.
How to make pumpkin bread
Sifting the dry ingredients. Sift the flour with the dry ingredients except for the sugar. Sifting makes the pumpkin bread less dense, and you’ll get rid of any lumps in the baking powder or the spice.
Coat the raisins. To prevent the raisins from sinking, coat them with a teaspoon of flour and keep them aside.
Beating the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, add the wet ingredients plus the sugar and beat well, and until combined, this will take two minutes by a hand whisk if you beat vigorously.
Mix both dry and wet ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix gently for a few seconds; overmixing will make pumpkin bread sink in the oven or come out too dense. Sprinkle the coated raisins and fold gently.
Pour and bake. Pour the pumpkin bread mixture into a loaf pan that’s already greased or lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle a few raisins on top if you wish and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean.
How to store pumpkin bread
Pumpkin bread stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days. To refrigerate it, wrap the bread tightly with a plastic wrap, place it in a Ziplock bag or airtight container, and chill.
To freeze, cut the bread into slices. Wrap each slice with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil. Place the wrapped slices in a Ziplock bag or airtight container, and it can last in the freezer for up to two months. To thaw, place as many slices as you wish to thaw in the fridge overnight or over the kitchen counter while it is still in its wrap.
What to eat with pumpkin bread?
I like to spread a little Nutella on my slice, but it tastes excellent with unsalted butter, cream cheese, or jam. You can also serve the pumpkin bread slice with chilled milk or coffee, but if you want to go wild, warm a slice in the microwave and topped with a scoop of ice cream!
Pumpkin bread is also great when served with a chilled glass of milk or coffee.
Frequently asked questions about pumpkin bread
How do I know the bread is done?
The bread is a little dense, and because we have used pumpkin puree, the bread will take longer to bake. The bread will cook faster in a gas oven. To know for sure that your bread is done, insert a knife or a skewer in the middle of the bread; it should come out clean. If it came out wet or with crumbs, the bread needs to bake a little longer.
The edges of the bread will pull away from the pan and have a light brown color when the pumpkin bread is done.
You can gently press the bread down, and if it bounces back up, this means it’s done.
Can I use only oil or only butter in this recipe?
Yes, you can! But, if you use butter, only the pumpkin bread might become a little dry when refrigerated.
How can I keep the bread moist?
- Follow the recipe.
- Store the bread as explained in this post above.
- Do not overbake it.
- Do not overbeat the batter.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of plain pumpkin puree?
No, Pumpkin pie mix or filling has spices, and some even have sugar. It will not work in this recipe. The spices in the recipe plus the spices in the pumpkin pie mix/filling will overpower it. Also, the sugar will make the bread too sweet.
Will this cake bake well in a gas oven?
Yes! The gas oven bakes most types of pastries and cake fast. To prevent this bread from over baking or turning darker in color.
- Place the loaf pan over a baking sheet.
- Bake on the middle shelf.
- Cover the top of the cake with aluminum foil if the top is getting darker.
- You can also reduce the oven temperature to 165C/ 329F and bake it for a longer time.
Why did my bread sink in the middle?
The cake sinks if you have opened the oven door before the first 10 minutes of baking. Or you have opened the door and shut it quickly. The bread or cake in general sinks if the oven is not preheated correctly.
To preheat the oven, turn it on to the temperature you desire or mentioned in the recipe, and use it after 20 minutes; by then, the heat in the oven will most probably have reached the temperature you have set.
Why is there a crack in my pumpkin bread?
That’s normal, and you don’t have to worry about it; most of the cakes or bread with a lot of moisture get a crack on top. The moisture trapped in the bread or bread batter is released upward. Hence, the crack appears.
Tips to make good pumpkin bread from the first time
- If you are making pumpkin puree at home, pour the pureed pumpkin through a cheese cloth to remove the extra moisture after the cooking and pureeing process. This step is important for homemade pumpkin puree. You don’t have to do this for canned pumpkins.
- Do not overmix the batter; I suggest using a spatula when mixing the wet with dry ingredients.
- Preheat the oven 20 minutes before using it.
- Some like to have plump raisins in their pumpkin bread. If you are one of them, then soak the raisins in orange juice or warm water for 15 minutes, strain it before coating it with flour.
- You can skip the raisins and add mixed nuts or even chocolate chips.
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix recipe here
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup melted unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- ⅓ cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Line a loaf pan 4”x8.5” with parchment paper; if you leave two inches from the parchment paper hanging over both sides of the pan, it will be easy to remove the pumpkin bread from the pan later. You can also grease the pan and flour it instead.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spice mix in a medium bowl. You can also add these ingredients to the bowl and whisk it for a few seconds.
- Add one teaspoon of flour to the raisins, mix well to coat all the raisins. This step will prevent the raising from sinking at the bottom of the pumpkin bread.
- In a different bowl, add the pumpkin puree, butter, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Beat well until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each egg.
- Mix the dry ingredients with the wet and gently mix for a few seconds. Add in the raisins but keep a few to sprinkle on top of the pumpkin bread. Switch to a spatula and gently fold in the raisins.
- Pour the batter into the previously prepared baking loaf pan. Even the surface and scatter a few raisins on top. Bake for 52 – 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it over the cooling rack for 9 minutes. After 9 minutes, remove the pumpkin bread from the pan and place it on the cooling rack to cool completely.
- You can store the loaf by covering correctly at room temperature for up to two days. If your kitchen is hot, it’s best to refrigerate the loaf—more on how to safely store it for a longer time, in the notes below.
Notes
- You can turn this recipe into muffins.
- Substitute raisins with nuts. How to store this loaf is mentioned in the post.
- Baking time varies depending on the oven so keep an eye on it.
- Use canned pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie mix for this recipe.
- This recipe was originally posted in 2016, the article is updated with more details and information.
Angie@Angie's Recipes
My husband loves raisins..lots of them...this is lovely and delicious quick bread..just perfect for the season, Muna.
munatycooking
This pumpkin bread came out really moist and on point 🙂