This Pumpkin Bread recipe is the perfect fall dessert! Moist, sweet, and dense, it’s made with pumpkin puree, a delicious blend of spices, and topped with pumpkin seeds.
If you love pumpkin desserts, try this amazing pumpkin cheesecake and these pumpkin spice cupcakes.
Table Of Contents
Pumpkin Bread Recipe Details
I love pumpkin in the fall, and this Pumpkin Bread recipe is just what I crave. It’s a scrumptious loaf that makes a yummy dessert and goes great with coffee or tea.
- TASTE: Sugar and spice, this Pumpkin Bread tastes as delicious as your favorite pumpkin pie. Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg, with brown sugar, create the perfect flavor.
- TEXTURE: This Pumpkin Bread is super moist because of the pumpkin puree and butter. It’s also dense and satisfying, with a light crunch from the pumpkin seeds.
- TIME: After just 20 minutes of prep time, this recipe is in the oven to bake. It’s ready to serve in an hour and 40 minutes.
- EASE: This simple Pumpkin Bread recipe is so easy and you can even prepare it ahead of time and freeze it for convenience.
What You’ll Need
- Dry ingredients- All-purpose flour, Baking powder, Baking soda, and Salt
- Wet ingredients- Golden brown sugar, Granulated sugar, Unsalted butter (melted), Eggs (room temperature), and Pumpkin Puree
- Pumpkin spices- Ground cinnamon, Ground nutmeg, Ground cloves, and Ground ginger
- Raw pumpkin seeds– for topping
How to Make Pumpkin Bread
- Sift the dry ingredients. Sift together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ground ginger in a bowl with a fine mesh sieve. Then set it aside for later.
- Whisk the butter and sugars. In a separate bowl, add the golden brown sugar, granulated sugar, and melted butter, whisking until combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the eggs and pumpkin. Now add the room temperature eggs along with the pumpkin puree. Then mix it together with a whisk until just combined.
- Combine the wet and dry mixtures. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, gently mixing with a spatula. Don’t overmix, doing it just until you don’t see any more patches of dry flour.
- Bake. Now coat a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Pour the pumpkin bread batter into the pan and sprinkle the top with raw unsalted pumpkin seeds. Bake at 325°F for about 80 minutes. Then let it rest for 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.
Pro Tip: Mix just enough to combine the wet and dry ingredients. Don’t overmix or your Pumpkin Bread will turn out gummy.
Recipe Tips
- Sift the dry ingredients- For a moist bread with no patches of dryness, sift the ingredients so they will fully incorporate in the batter.
- Use room temperature eggs- This creates an emulsion that traps air, which is released during baking. This air is what makes your bread fluffy.
- Line the loaf pan with an oversized sheet of parchemnt paper– doing this will allow you to remove the baked pumpkin bread by pulling on the flaps of parchment paper.
- Check doneness with a toothpick- This is a thick loaf, so check that the pumpkin bread is done by sticking a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, your loaf is fully cooked.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Add chocolate chips- For extra sweetness, add chocolate chips to the batter. They will melt and create a deliciously gooey chocolate pumpkin bread loaf.
- Substitute gluten-free flour- You can make this recipe for anyone not eating gluten by substituting the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free baking flour.
- Add icing on top- Whip up a mixture of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to smear on top. Let it set before serving. Or make some cream cheese frosting instead!
- Substitute plant-based butter- Using plant-based butter or oil in place of the butter will make this bread dairy-free.
FAQs
Why does my pumpkin bread crack on top?
This isn’t a bad thing because it is a sign of doneness. The top sets before the center, creating a crack along the top of the loaf.
Why is my pumpkin bread so dense?
The loaf might be dense because the amount of wet ingredients overpowers the dry. Make sure to measure precisely to avoid this. Also, make sure you use room temperature eggs to add air and fluffiness to the loaf.
Serving Suggestions
This Pumpkin Bread is a fall favorite and perfect for serving with other dishes this season.
- Meats: Serve this Pumpkin Bread as dessert after a dinner of Braised Beef Stew, Cedar Plank Salmon, or Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup.
- Cookies: Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies, Double Chocolate Cookies (VIDEO), and Chewy Nutella Cookies can be plated with a slice of this Pumpkin Bread.
- Pies and cakes: Easy Oreo Cheesecake (VIDEO), Homemade Apple Pie, and Tiramisu Cake (VIDEO) will finish out your dessert table.
- Coffee: Serve this loaf with coffee, tea, or milk. Or try this Iced Caramel Macchiato, Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe, or Caramel Frappuccino Recipe (Starbucks Copycat).
Make This Pumpkin Bread in Advance
Make ahead: You can prepare the pumpkin spice mix in advance and keep it stored in your pantry for easy use. This Pumpkin Bread can also be made and cooled, then stored in the freezer for the future.
Storing: Store this pumpkin loaf once it has cooled in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. It can stay at room temperature or in the fridge for 5-7 days.
Freeze: Once the bread has cooled, place it in an airtight container or ziplock bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before serving.
More Yummy Pumpkin Recipes!
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (VIDEO)
- Easy Pumpkin Cake Recipe
- Pumpkin Creme Brulee Recipe
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
Watch Video Recipe Here
Full Recipe Instructions
Pumpkin Bread Recipe
This quick and easy pumpkin bread is made with real pumpkin puree and is full of toasted pumpkin seeds.
Print Pin Rate Servings: 10 Slices in 1 loaf
Calories: 441kcal
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 cup golden brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 15- oz. can pumpkin puree
- 2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- In a separate bowl, add 1 cup golden brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup unsalted melted butter. Use a large whisk to mix the butter and sugar together for about 1 minute.
- Now add 2 large room temperature eggs along with 1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin puree. Then mix it together with the whisk just until combined.
- Then add in the dry ingredients and gently mix with a spatula. You want to be careful not to over-mix. Mix just until you don’t see any more patches of dry flour.
- Now coat a 9×5 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Pour the pumpkin bread batter into the loaf pan and sprinkle the top with 2 tablespoons of raw unsalted pumpkin seeds. Bake at 325°F for about 80 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean after being inserted into the center of the pumpkin bread. Once it’s baked, give it about 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.
Notes
FAQs answered in the post above:
- Add-ins and substitutions
- How to make this ahead of time
- Why did my pumpkin bread crack on top?
Nutrition
Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 428mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 7676IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe? Snap a photo of it and tag me on Instagram @simplyhomecooked or use the hashtag #simplyhomecooked so I can see it and feature it!
This recipe was originally posted on Oct 17, 2016, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
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