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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Comments
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Just made this for the first time. And I am a man you did this. Amazing taste. I used a fresh pumpkin left over from Halloween. Made it myself. Topped it with homemade cranberry sauce. It’s Great.
Thanks
Michael W Bryant
loved it! also added zest from 2 oranges. Awesome recipe! thanks for sharing
Awesome this is the best!! My motherlin law recipe also she got from her mom
I agree! This recipe is spot on! Super stupid delish! Words to describe this recipe- PERFECT YUMMY FANTABULOUS
Hello. Have you ever tried making this recipe in mini loaf pans for gifts? If so, how would the bake time change and how many loaves did you make from the recipe? Thank you…
Hi Janey, I think this will make 3 – 4 mini loaves, but I can’t say for sure because I’ve never made mini versions of these. They will take less time to bake; I’d start checking them at about 35 – 40 minutes.
I’ve made this recipe at least 2 dozen times and every time I’ve made mini loaves. It makes 6 for me so I do 2 batches of 3. And, Jenn is spot on with the baking time, they usually take from 35-40 minutes.
Has anyone tried a cream cheese layer in the middle?
My breads have a gritty issue–can’t imagine what it is as I followed the recipe exactly. I usually make pumpkin bread with veg oil rather than butter and they are more moist and heavier than these. I baked for less time as they were done at 60mins.
Also feel the cloves are overwhelming all other tastes, so suggest using half or less than the amount listed. Maybe less amounts of spices overall–add a little ginger too. Normally I love your recipes Jen so was surprised. But appreciate all your devotion! Happy Thanksgiving.
Keep your comments to yourself. Apparently you are one of the few who didn’t like it just the way it was. If you don’t like the recipe than make something else but don’t criticize the poster!
Everyone has a right to thier own opinion. I don’t think she was criticizing.
Debbie, I believe your comment was much more negative and unnecessary. I read reviews for honest feedback and helpful suggestions, so I appreciate her comment about the cloves and thought her well wishes at the end were positive.
Debbie Downer, geez what a hateful person you are.
Aloha, Keep in mind that everyone has different tasting and texture preferences. I can’t imagine a bread having a gritty texture. Perhaps the batter was not mixed throughly. As for cloves it is a compliment for pumpkin and ginger is not. Maybe a baking class would help you to adapt a skill and palate.
All those “sweeter” spices work with pumpkin, even ginger and/or allspice. It’s about personal preference. I think texture is also is a matter taste and expectations: heavier versus cakier, etc. How could anything with butter, sugar and flour ever be bad (as long as it cooks properly). 🙂 I always add molasses to pumpkin pie, so I wonder if 1 tbsp. would work well in this recipe? Since there is a lot of spice already, it may be overkill. The fun is in experimenting. Happy baking!
(Cannot rate yet, but it will be baked soon. Thanks, Jenn. You’re amazing)
Absolutely delicious! Halved the sugar content and it was perfect!
I made this recipe for the first time last year and I have been hooked ever since! I added an oat crumble to the top of mine and it is hard not to eat the whole loaf in one sitting! Thanks for sharing this wonderfully, perfect recipe! I have a couple of diabetics in my family and wanted to try substituting the sugar with erythritol or stevia. Do you think this would work ok?
Hi Amy, Glad you like it and I love the idea of the oat crumble! I don’t have any experience with sugar substitutes so unfortunately, I don’t have much wisdom to share – sorry I can’t be more helpful. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you do try it with a sugar alternative.
I am truly impressed that you offer a recipe handed down from your Grandmother with no tweaking…no alteration…it’s a perfect combination of pumpkin and spices. It makes the house smell absolutely wonderful as it bakes, too!
This is the best pumpkin bread I’ve ever made!