We love this super moist quick bread! With a healthy dose of pumpkin puree (we make our own but canned works just as well) and oil, it comes together quickly, keeps well for days, and can be frozen, of course. Spice it up according to your taste and eat it plain or glazed, with or without the walnuts or pecans on top. It's outstanding either way!
Originally posted in September 2012, this post has been updated with text and images. The recipe was slightly adjusted and is better than before!
This is the first pumpkin bread recipe I ever made and it's still my favorite. That says something about the recipe, doesn't it? I think that those of us bakers who bake a lot on a daily basis have a hard time pointing out favorites. But sometimes recipes stand out by themselves, time and time again.
Let me tell you that this pumpkin bread probably trumps my favorite carrot cake. I can't believe I just wrote that! But I did. Because the spiced flavor is one of my favorites, and the bread is moist and great toasted in the morning. Sometimes it even trumps my favorite banana bread recipe. I know.
So, let's get into the details of this wonderful fall recipe, perfect for pumpkin season.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree: you can use fresh or canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling). Or butternut squash for that matter. They all work wonderfully. I have a whole post devoted to how to make pumpkin puree because it's not easily available where I live.
- Oil: use a neutral type, like sunflower. For a healthier variation coconut oil works too.
- Egg: make sure it's fresh. Large eggs is what I use for the recipes in this blog.
- Pumpkin spice: I usually make my own (see Notes in the recipe card) but you can use a store-bought one.
- Sugar: using brown sugar gives it an extra layer of caramel goodness that works great with the natural sweetness of the pumpkin. But you can use white if that's all you have.
- Vanilla: it complements very well the spices. I always favor pure vanilla extract or paste.
- Dry ingredients: all purpose flour, salt (I always use kosher), and baking soda (it's the leavener, makes the bread rise as it bakes) make up this part of the recipe.
- Walnuts or pecans: I love to add some crunchiness on top, but I also make it plain a lot and love it.
Simple steps
- Image 1. Beat eggs and sugar until thick. Use a large bowl and electric beaters. I use a handheld but a stand mixer can also be used. I find it's not a large amount of batter so I'd rather do it by hand.
- Image 2. Beat in the oil and then the pumpkin puree. Since this recipe is made with oil, it's just a minute of mixing. Much easier than creaming butter like a regular cake.
- Image 3. Add flavorings - vanilla and spices - adjusting them to your personal taste. I like a teaspoon, but that's not set in stone.
- Image 4. Sift the dry ingredients (also called flour mixture) and make sure you mix JUST until well mixed but don't overdo it as it will toughen the bread. We want it soft and spongy.
- Top with walnut or pecan pieces. They look gorgeous and add crunch, but you still have that moist plain pumpkin bread. The best of both worlds if you ask me.
Extra ingredients
- In the batter: you can mix a half cup chopped walnuts/pecans or chocolate chips to the pumpkin mixture.
- Toppings: I like to make two rows of whole nuts before popping the bread into the oven (image below). There will still be the crunch of the nuts here and there, but also they won't interfere if you want a solid bite of just pumpkin bread. Chocolate chips also work very well sprinkled on top before baking.
Both go great with pumpkin and especially in this bread recipe.
Top tips
- Pumpkin: if using homemade puree, make sure it's drained so it doesn't have excess liquid.
- Spices: find your own favorite blend and adjust this recipe. Or use store-bought pumpkin pie spice. You can also opt for using just one or two, like ground cinnamon.
- Nuts: you can chop them and add to the batter, but it's a different experience. I like whole pieces on top.
- Pans: I like to make one large loaf as directed in the recipe card below, but you can use two small/medium loaf pans and maybe eat one and freeze the other for later. Use muffin tins to make pumpkin bread muffins.
- Storing: keep it covered in plastic wrap or under a cake dome at room temperature for a day or two, and then refrigerate or freeze (first plastic wrap and then aluminum foil or in an airtight container).
Freezing
Once the pumpkin bread is completely cooled it can be frozen. I like to slice it first because I usually end up toasting and eating it with cream cheese in the morning, but you can freeze it whole. Wrap it well in plastic wrap first and the aluminum foil.
If whole defrost at room temperature, still wrapped, until it's cold. Then unwrap completely and wait until it comes to room temperature. You can also toast or warm individual slices in a medium/low oven, directly from the freezer, before eating.
Related recipes you might like:
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Pumpkin Bread
We love this super moist quick bread! With a healthy dose of pumpkin puree (we make our own but canned works just as well) and oil, it comes together quickly, keeps well for days and can be frozen, of course. Spice it up according to your taste and eat it plain or glazed, with or without the walnuts or pecans on top. It's outstanding either way!
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 slices 1x
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose or cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see Notes, below)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (I use sunflower)
- 1 cup pumpkin or butternut squash puree, fresh or canned
- ½ cup walnuts pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF /180ºC.
- Butter an 8x4-inch loaf pan. Dust with dry bread crumbs or flour. Or use baking spray with flour.
- In a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spices. (I do it directly over the batter later)
- Beat eggs, sugar, and oil with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add puree and mix well. Stir in the candied pumpkin.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix only to incorporate. Add the nuts. Don't overmix.
- Pour into prepared pans and bake for 1 hour or a bit more. They take a while to fully bake; the tester should come out clean.
- Let cool on a wire rack and remove from pan.
- Keep at room temperature for a few days, well wrapped and then refrigerate.
Notes
- Pumpkin: if using homemade puree, make sure it's drained so it doesn't have excess liquid.
- Spices: find your own favorite blend and adjust this recipe. I use equal amounts of ground cinnamon and ginger, and a pinch of nutmeg and allspice. Sometimes I add a pinch of cloves, but not always. Pum
- Nuts: you can chop them and add to the batter, but it's a different experience. I like whole pieces on top.
- Pans: I like to make one large loaf as directed in the recipe card below, but you can use two small/medium loaf pans and maybe eat one and freeze the other for later. Use muffin tins to make pumpkin bread muffins.
- Storing: keep it covered at room t° for a day or two, and then refrigerate. The pumpkin may start to ferment and ruin the bread. A similar happens with the carrot pineapple cake.
- Glaze: sometimes I glaze it with a simple powdered sugar glaze. I love to use maple as the binding agent: ½ cup powdered sugar, ½ tablespoon hot water and 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Mix until creamy and pour over cooled loaf.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 60
- Category: Quick Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10
- Calories: 242
- Sugar: 22.4 g
- Sodium: 199 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.4 g
- Protein: 3.4 g
- Cholesterol: 18.6 mg
Keywords: pumpkin bread
Adapted from Cakes, by Maida Heatter
Caroline says
Made this bread today and added pecans to the batter and it exceeded my expectations. Super yummy! I might double the recipe next time! Love love love your recipes ❤️
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
Thanks so much for your comment Caroline! Happy to hear you loved it. Have a great week!
Tonia says
I love your receipes. I have a question about convection or conventional oven Temps...are your Temps for convection oven or conventional?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Tonia, I use convection, which has a fan that distrubutes the heat differently. But all ovens are different and I think the most important thing is to know YOUR oven, and that is by baking and using it.
angiesrecipes says
The bread looks fantastic! I am happy that pumpkin season finally arrives!