We love this super moist and flavorful bread with a nice dose of pumpkin puree, warm spices and some ground walnuts. It uses oil, so it comes together quickly, keeps well for a few days, and can be frozen. Spice it up according to your taste and eat it plain or glazed; it's outstanding either way!
I retested this recipe and added an option of ground walnuts in the batter, which I think enhances the nutty flavor. The original recipe is still in the recipe card, of course, in case you don't want to change anything.
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A classic with a twist
This is the first homemade pumpkin bread recipe I baked, and it's still my favorite. The addition of walnuts makes it even better.
I think us bakers who bake a lot have difficulty naming favorites. But sometimes recipes stand out by themselves time and time again. When the fall season starts, this moist pumpkin loaf immediately appears.
This bread is moist, spiced and wonderful toasted in the morning or as an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee. It's a wonderful fall recipe, perfect for pumpkin season and the holidays.
Let me tell you that this pumpkin bread with walnuts probably trumps my favorite carrot cake. Sometimes, it even trumps my favorite banana bread recipe. I know. I can't believe I just wrote that, but I did.
Testing Notes
Pumpkin purée: you can use fresh or canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling). Or butternut squash. They all work wonderfully. If you opt for homemade fresh pumpkin puree (I do a lot), it must be on the dry side and not have excess water. Drain it if that's the case.
Vegetable oil: Use a neutral type. I always use sunflower oil. Canola oil is also neutral, but I find it to be heavier. If you don't want seed oils, coconut oil works too. Use one that is as neutral or odorless as possible.
Walnuts: You need walnut flour or finely ground walnuts, a tweak I added after re-testing the original recipe. It adds a nutty flavor that I think enhances the idea of pumpkin and walnuts. You also want some additional nuts for the top of the batter (chopped or whole).
Spices: I have my favorite pumpkin spice blend that you can adjust for this recipe, using more or less of certain spices (I don't like cloves much, so use them sparingly). Or use store-bought pumpkin pie spice. You can also use just one or two, like ground cinnamon and ginger.
Process steps
- Equipment: Use a large bowl and an electric mixer. A stand mixer can also be used, but I find it's not a large amount of batter, so I'd rather do it by hand.
- Walnuts: If not using the walnut flour (it's all in the recipe card), you can add the chopped walnuts to the pumpkin batter together with the flour, or sprinkle them on top of the bread before baking. This way, you'll have crunchy nuts and a solid bite of pumpkin bread.
- Pans: I like to make one large loaf, but you can gift smaller loaf pans or maybe eat one and freeze the others for another time. Use muffin tins to make pumpkin bread muffins.
- Flavorings: adjust to your taste. Maybe you like more cinnamon, maybe less cloves (me). Find your spice spot.
- Sifting: It's important to sift the dry ingredients before adding them. I have them measured and sift them directly over the pumpkin batter. But you can do it in a separate bowl if it's easier.
- Lining the pan: Use a greased loaf pan lined with a strip of parchment paper to help remove the pumpkin bread when baked.
- Filling and baking: ideally, you never fill a loaf pan more than ⅔ of its capacity; ¾ at the most. It needs space to grow and bake properly.
⭐️ Vintage Kitchen Tip
After adding the flour, mix *just* until integrated, but don't overdo it, as it will toughen the bread. We want it soft and spongy. Use the electric mixer on low speed or a spatula to avoid overbeating.
Freezing
Once the pumpkin bread is completely cooled, it can be frozen.
I like to slice it first because I toast it and eat it with cream cheese in the morning, but you can freeze it whole. Wrap it well in plastic wrap first and then 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.
Before eating, you can warm individual slices directly from the freezer in a medium/low oven.
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Old Fashioned Pumpkin Walnut Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose or cake flour, sifted. If not using the ground walnut flour below, use 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup walnut flour, or finely ground walnuts, optional
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, homemade or store-bought (see Notes, below)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, I use sunflower
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, fresh or canned, or butternut squash puree
- ¾ cup walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Butter or use baking spray on an 8x4-inch loaf pan. You can line it with a strip of parchment paper, covering the pan's bottom and two short sides. The two long sides will remain unlined but greased. This will help you remove the cake from the pan.
- Grind the walnuts for the flour, and coarsely chop the ones for the top, or leave whole if you prefer that. Reserve.
- Beat 1 egg, 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, and ¼ cup vegetable oil in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Add 1 cup pumpkin puree and mix well.
- Sift together 1 cup all-purpose or cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add ¼ cup walnut flour and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and stir to mix well. You can also have them measured and sift them directly over the pumpkin mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to incorporate; don't overmix. If adding the chopped ¾ cup walnuts to the batter, do so now and mix lightly.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and, if sprinkling the chopped or whole walnuts on top, do so now.
- Bake for about 55-60 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. It can take a while to fully bake.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack, and remove from the pan with the help of the paper.
- Keep well wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days, and then refrigerate.
Notes
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!
Jora says
I'm so jealous of your discipline! It's so hard for me to bake things without at least tasting them, and my thighs certainly have suffered... 🙂
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
Paula, wonderful warm colors and a great recipe for a delicious looking Pumpkin Walnut Loaf Cake!
Medeja says
Looks so yummy! Soft but not dry!
Lizzy Do says
Looks delectable! I've never seen candied pumpkin, but I'd love to sample it (and your bread!). My yeast bread for Tuesday was a bit of a flop...still wondering if I should post it...no time to make it again :/
wp_vknotes_admin says
Mine too! I finished it today and is not what I was expecting. Don´t know if the yeast failed or what. But if yours failed too, maybe it´s the recipe. I can make it again if I make the effort, but I don´t see how it can be better the second time...
yummychunklet says
Love that candied topping!
Guru Uru says
Maple glaze and walnuts and pumpkin = perfect! 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Laura Dembowski says
I love roasting my own pumpkin and pureeing it to make pumpkin to use in any baked good. It's so much better and healthier than the canned stuff. But candied pumpkin is the best idea ever! I seriously wish I would have thought of that 🙂 It's nice to know I'm not the only blogger out there buying pie pumpkins to bake with. It's also great shredded in muffins and cupcakes (I have a pumpkin muffin recipe on my blog that's to die for: http://piesandplots.net/fresh-pumpkin-muffins/)!
Marissa says
Looks incredible! I've never heard of candied pumpkin, but what a great idea.
Emily Dicks says
This looks amazing! I just recently fell in love with pumpkin bread.
Amy says
This bread looks delicious! No canned pumpkin?! How sad... But, these candied pumpkin pieces look great! I've never seen those and I bet they are fantastic.
Anonymous says
Really easy!Delicious! I had no brown sugar, so added 2TBS molasses, & gave nice rich taste. Texture, perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Next time I might try making it gluten free.