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.
Above, you can see the original recipe from my grandmother’s recipe box—it’s definitely seen its share of spills! After a bit of research, I discovered that the recipe was first published in the McCalls Cook Book (Random House, 1963). It is a typical sweet quick bread, similar to banana bread or cranberry nut bread, leavened with baking powder and/or baking soda instead of yeast. Quick bread batter can often be used to make muffins, and my pumpkin muffins are nearly identical to this bread, but with the addition of a pecan streusel topping.
Table of Contents
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 curdled or 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 to 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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I have tried many Pumpkin Bread recipes over the yrs, and this was definitely the BEST I’ve ever made!! My family devoured it. My 13 yr old son actually came home from school today and begged me to make it again. I’d say it was a hit!
I just found this recipe, and I was wondering if you could bake this in a tube or bundt pan?
Hi Donna, I’d be hesitant to bake this in a bundt pan as I’d be afraid it would stick. That said, a few readers have used a bundt pan successfully. I’d just make sure to generously grease the pan with butter and a good dusting of flour. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Ugh this was so amazing. I think I ate an entire loaf in three or four days! The only thing I did differently was add a tiny bit of vanilla extract because I’m a sucker for vanilla. I’m going to make this again and bring it to a thanksgiving dinner and probably again for a Halloween party later this month! Yumm! Thanks so much for this recipe! 🙂
Best pumpkin bread recipe EVER!!! I think the fact that butter is used instead of cooking oil is what makes a huge difference. I added chocolate chips to two small loaves and did my first big loaf plain. You could add craisins, raisins, nuts, whatever, as this is a very versatile and moist recipe! Luv it! 😉
How do I add spiced pumpkin seeds without them burning?
Hi Judi, a couple of readers have commented that they sprinkled pumpkin seeds on top of the bread and didn’t mention issues with burning. I’d just keep an eye on them and cover the bread loosely with foil if you find they’re starting to burn.
I followed the recipe pretty closely, except I substituted 1/4 cup of vegetable oil for a 1/2 stick of butter, so I used one full stick plus 1/4 cup vegetable oil. The bread was very moist, but still holds together perfectly. I also added 1/2 tsp ground ginger and made one loaf with mini chocolate chips and the other with chopped walnuts. My husband LOVED it! Perfect amount of spice and moisture, but slightly crispy on the outside.
Hello! i plan on making this bread, but i don’t have any of the spices, could i replace them for pumpkin pie spice instead? if so how much should i add?
Thank you!
Yes, Lisa, that should work. Some other readers have substituted the other spices with pumpkin pie spice and have used 3 tsp. Hope you enjoy!
I love pumpkin bread, I grew up on it ever thanksgiving and this brought me back to a special place in my heart where my mom and my grandma us to make it. It was amazing. Thank you for that memory! I will definitaly be sharing this with my friends!
This recipe was SO good! I followed the recipe exactly except I added a little more cinnamon and nutmeg, and a pinch of allspice. I also added another 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to make it rise a bit more. It turned out perfect! It’s already gone. Will definitely make again:)
This pumpkin bread is amazing! I followed the direction exactly- except I only had 1 stick of unsalted butter on hand. To make up for the remaining butter called for, I added 4 tablespoons of melted coconut oil. The recipe made one loaf of bread (1.5 qt baking dish) and 6 big muffins. My husband and kids loved it! Yet again, another recipe from Once Upon a Chef that will be my one and only go to!