Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread bread A simple to make, warmly spiced, not overly sweet, with moist, tender soft crumb pumpkin bread savoury bread Pumpkin Bread pumpkin

This is such a great pumpkin bread - it’s my go to favorite as it is simple to make, warmly spiced, not overly sweet, with moist, tender soft crumb without being overly dense - you will love the texture. The bread itself is fragrant and delicious on its own - we often make it plain and enjoy it with a dusting of powdered sugar or slice it and warm it up and slather it with a little butter, other times we go full throttle and add the streusel topping and maple glaze. It is really your choice - with the streusel or without it is a wonderful Pumpkin Bread Recipe! No need to pull out the mixer for this one - a simple bowl whisk and spatula recipe.

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients for this Pumpkin Quick Bread Recipe

  • PUMPKIN: Pumpkin Puree not pumpkin pie filling is what I use in this recipe. It not only adds flavor, but moisture to this bread well. I always bake with canned pumpkin, but homemade pumpkin puree works too. Homemade pumpkin puree tends to be more moist so if using homemade make sure you blot your homemade pumpkin puree to rid some of the moisture (not necessary if using canned pumpkin).
  • FLOUR: All purpose flour is what I use. I have not tested it with a gluten-free flour but it should work well with a 1-1 gluten free all purpose flour - the texture will be different though.
  • BAKING SODA & SALT: For leavening and flavor.
  • OIL: Adds incredible moisture and lightens up the crumb. I use oil with a neutral flavor, like vegetable oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. I have used olive oil too and it works but I use a light one that doesn’t impart too much of a stong flavor.
  • SPICES: Cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice is my favourite - they are perfect with anything pumpkin. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice blend no worries - keep the cinnamon measurements the same and then add ¼ teaspoon each ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground ginger. Some like to add a touch of all spice too but that is up to you. Feel free to adjust measurements to taste
  • SUGAR: A blend of both brown sugar and granulated sugar. White and brown sugar are combined to create the best flavor, color, and texture in baked goods. Feel free to use one or the other if desired.
  • EGGS: I use large eggs and at room temperature
  • VANILLA: I always add it to most baked goods for that delicious flavour it adds - I always use pure vanilla extract
  • MILK: This helps add moisture but without making the bread too dense. Regular milk works here or non dairy milk will work or water or even orange juice - a lot of pumpkin spice things include apple or carrot juice in them so feel free to go that route too. The flavour of any of those liquids added to the bread are so subtle.
  • ADD INS: I like this bread as is but it would also work well with semi sweet or bitter sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks, milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, or even nuts (pecans/walnuts), raisins, dried cranberries instead of the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Pumpkin Bread

How To Make This Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe

  1. Prepare bread pan and preheat oven: Grease and line pan and preheat oven at 350°F
  2. Prepare streusel topping: Whisk together dry ingredients, stir in melted butter and combine to form pea sized clumps (if using)
  3. Prepare batter: Whisk together dry ingredients minus sugars, in a seperate bowl whisk together the wet ingredients with the sugars then combine the dry ingredients with the wet mixture, do not over mix.
  4. Assemble bread: Spoon or scoop batter into pan. Sprinkle over streusel or crumb topping
  5. Bake: Bake bread for 50-60 min then cool.
  6. Prepare Glaze: whisk all the glaze ingredients if making then drizzle over cooled bread

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread

Tips for making the best Pumpkin bread recipe

  • Ensure ingredients are at room temperature - specifically the eggs and milk in this recipe.
  • Combine the dry ingredients with a whisk, this acts a bit like sifting the flour
  • Cooking times can vary slightly so be sure to check the bread early. Each oven is different, and different pans conduct heat differently so cooking times will vary. It may take 10-15 minutes more. With the longer cooking time, the bread shouldn’t burn, but if you are noticing the bread getting too brown, tent with foil.
  • Bake just until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean or mostly clean. If it needs more time I usually still check on it every 5 minutes. Ensure the bread is cooked through before removing it from the oven otherwise it will sink in the middle.
  • Avoid overmixing. Overmixing quick bread batter will result in a stodgy, dense loaf. For a more pillowy, moist cake-like crumb, mix the bread batter just until combined.

Pumpkin Bread

How to store and freeze Pumpkin bread

  • STORAGE: Cover and store Pumpkin bread in an airtight container or with plastic wrap at room temperature for 2-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  • FREEZING: Pumpkin 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 the bread overnight in the refrigerator or overnight at room temperature before serving. Lightly toast individual slices for best results.

Pumpkin Bread

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Recipe

Servings: one 9x5 inch loaf
Prep Time: 20 mins
Bake Time: 60 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

For the Streusel Topping (optional)

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pecans (optional)

For the Pumpkin Bread

  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup pure pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup milk, room temperature

For the Maple Glaze (optional)

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon maple extract (can substitute vanilla)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons milk or cream

Directions

For the Topping (If using)

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients including the pecans if adding
  2. Stir in melted butter and combine to form pea sized clumps and place in the fridge while you make the pumpkin bread batter.

For the Bread

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease your 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper with overhanging edges for easy removal.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk oil, sugars, pumpkin, milk, eggs and vanilla until well combined.
  4. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients/pumpkin mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until flour is just completely mixed in. Do not over mix.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
  6. Take the streusel out of the fridge and break it up using a knife or fork to create uniform clumps. Sprinkle it over top the batter to cover it evenly.
  7. Bake for approx 60 minutes, or until bread is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Cool pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove the bread from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Maple Glaze (If using):

  1. Whisk all ingredients until well combined. If necessary, add more powdered sugar to thicken or more cream to thin.
  2. Finish by drizzling some of the maple glaze over bread - allow to set before slicing and enjoying

Recipe Notes

  • Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
  • Spices: Cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice is my favourite - they are perfect with anything pumpkin. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice blend no worries - keep the cinnamon measurements the same and then add ¼ tsp each ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground ginger. Some like to add a touch of allspice too but that is up to you. Feel free to adjust measurements to taste. For more pumpkin spice /pumpkin flavor increase the pumpkin pie spice to 2 teaspoons.
  • This loaf cake is also so so good with a cream cheese frosting. I will often make it without the streusel and I like to make it with the frosting I use for my Carrot Cake Loaf - which is infused by orange which works really well with the pumpkin too but if you prefer simply omit the orange zest and replace it with a little cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.

Adapted from Food Network

Pumpkin Bread