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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For years I have made my grandma’s banana bread recipe. I never made pumpkin bread but thought I would give it a try. My son sad it was even better than the banana bread and it is now the new family favorite. It was so easy to make and a big hit!
This is the pumpkin bread you have been searching for! Unlike most times when I’m baking I did not feel the need to increase the spices, because they are already enough. I did add about 1/2 cup each of dark chocolate chunks and candies ginger. Also I baked it in a 9×13 for about 40 minutes. Definitely a keeper!
This recipe is great plain, or as a base for additional toppings or fillings. It bakes up nicely and is very moist. I’ve also made it into small square cakes with a salty streusel topping and as muffins with nuts and raisins and cream cheese icing, and it is always a hit!
I made this bread over the holidays – made it exactly per the recipe and it turned out delicious. My family loved how moist and flavorful it was. I wound up making several more loaves and giving them to friends. They were a huge hit and everyone wanted the recipe. Thanks again Jen!
My love has been asking for pumpkin bread and I really wanted to make it from scratch not just a box. This turned out extremely well especially for someone who doesn’t normally bake! The instructions were easy to follow and quite helpful. Will definitely make it again!
This is the best pumpkin bread that I’ve ever made. I wish I could leave something higher than 5 stars! Thank you!
Loved this bread! Better than the recipe that’s been handed down in my family. Could be the butter, could be the cloves, but it was a terrific success this Thanksgiving. Thank you. Getting ready to make another couple loaves to use up the rest of the pumpkin I’ve got.
I don’t normally have, much less use, Crisco. But happen to have some butter flavored sticks of it as someone gave them to me. I realize its terribly unhealthy. But I’m making this recipe for a bake sale and hate to use my expensive Kerry Gold Irish butter which is all I have. Thoughts on whether taste will be affected? I know I should feel guilty at putting something unhealthy into something others will be eating.
I wouldn’t recommend it, Bridget — sorry!
By far, the BEST pumpkin bread and treat that I’ve ever baked or eaten! This was the first recipe of Jenn’s I made and the reason I found this blog, which makes me love it even more. I make it in (6) mini loaves and it never lasts long. My family and friends request it on the regular. I was up late last night making a batch for my Dad to take on a road trip, it’s a great snack/treat to pack. And I made it twice last week for different holiday gatherings. I’m pretty much always baking this bread. As mini loaves, it makes more to share and it looks beautiful sliced on a rectangular platter. The flavor is out of this world, it is so moist and delicious. The only problem with this bread is that it comes with a strong temptation to devour it all! Thank you for sharing this one Jenn, I love it!
I LOVE this recipe! I have made it several times now and every time I serve it, I receive rave reviews. The extra loaf freezes well and can be easily thawed and served later. It is so handy to have a loaf ready in the freezer for a yummy bread to serve that everyone enjoys.