Perfectly Moist Pumpkin Bread
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This is my mother’s recipe for pumpkin bread (or pumpkin loaf). Using canned pumpkin, it comes together in one bowl in minutes and is nicely spiced and full of fall flavors.
Everyone and their mother has a recipe for pumpkin bread. This happens to be my mother’s recipe — not sure where it originates beyond her — and it is incredibly delicious. Made with oil as opposed to butter, the batter comes together in minutes, and the texture of the finished bread is especially moist. If you don’t have a pumpkin quick bread recipe up your sleeve, this one is a winner.
What’s more? It’s a one-bowl job. No need to pull out the stand mixer for this one either. Grab a bowl and whisk, and you’re off!
Make it Ahead
I like to mix my batter at night, pour it into greased pans in the morning, then send the pans off to the oven. There is nothing like the smell of cinnamon-spiced pumpkin bread baking away on a fall (or winter!) morning.
Give it Away
If you have mini loaf pans, this quick bread makes an excellent gift. Mini loaf pans can be purchased here. Mini disposable loaf pans can be purchased here, too. These are great to use for quick breads year-round, but they are especially great to have on hand around the winter holidays.
PS: The Best Banana Bread
PPS: The Best Zucchini Bread (Award Winning 🎉🎉🎉)
What Spices are Good in Pumpkin Bread?
For simplicity, I use cinnamon and nutmeg in the recipe below. These are the classic “pumpkin pie” spices:
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- cloves
- allspice
- ginger
Any of the above “warm” spices would complement the pumpkin flavor in the recipe below.
How to Make One-Bowl Pumpkin Bread
Here’s the play-by-play:
Gather your ingredients:
Add them to a mixing bowl as directed in the recipe below. A one-bowl job!
Transfer batter to two standard loaf pans or …
… five mini loaf pans:
Bake for about an hour for standard loaf pans:
Bake for 35-45 minutes for mini loaf pans:
This pumpkin bread makes a great gift!
PrintPerfectly Moist Pumpkin Bread
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 2 standard loaf pans
Description
This is my mother’s recipe for pumpkin bread (or pumpkin loaf). Using canned pumpkin, it comes together in one bowl in minutes and is nicely spiced and full of fall flavors.
Loaf Pans: I love this Chicago Metallic 8.5 x 4.5 – inch loaf pan for this recipe. You need two pans for this recipe.
Mini loaf pans can be purchased here. Disposable loaf pans can be purchased here, too.
Canned Pumpkin: Some cans are 15 ounces; others are 16 ounces. It doesn’t matter – use the full can of whichever you purchase.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (424 g) sugar
- 1 cup (215 g) grapeseed oil or organic canola oil or other neutral oil
- 4 eggs
- 15 to 16 ounces (454 g) canned pumpkin (not pie filling), see notes above
- 3/4 cup (177 g) water
- 3 cups (384 g) flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 to 1.5 teaspoon (5 to 7 grams) fine sea salt or kosher salt … I use 1.5 teaspoons salt now
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (or less)
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves (optional… I never use)
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice (optional… I never use)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease 2 standard (8.5 x 4.5-inch) loaf pans (or 4 to 5 mini loaf pans depending on what size you are using — don’t fill pans higher than 2/3 full) with butter or non-stick spray.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer or simply a whisk (my preference!) beat sugar and oil together until blended. Add eggs one at a time mixing after each addition. Add pumpkin purée and water and mix until blended.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves (if using), and allspice (if using). Whisk only until just incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Bake for about an hour (if using standard loaf pans) but start checking for doneness after 45 minutes — the loaves are done when the center springs back when touched. Note: When using the small pans, the loaves should be done in under 45 minutes. Start checking after 30 minutes.
- Let cool 15-20 minutes in pan; then transfer to a cooling rack to continue cooling before cutting and serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Quick Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: pumpkin, bread, fall, baking, gifts
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
472 Comments on “Perfectly Moist Pumpkin Bread”
Great moist very tasty and the best pumpkin bread and first ever made.
★★★★★
Great to hear, Frances 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Thank you for this recipe – crowd-pleaser as loaf and made a few muffins at same time. And a fun way to use our last home-grown pie pumpkins…
Question for you about loaf pans. I see the one you suggest is coated. Is the uncoated version also one you recommend?
Gratitude(s), Bern
★★★★★
Great to hear, Bern! I love the USA Loaf Pan I use in this one-bowl orange-ricotta pound cake. I believe that is uncoated, but definitely double check because it is advertised as nonstick.
I’ve been making this recipe once a week through the fall. I can’t tell you how nice it is to find a recipe that uses one exact can of pumpkin and makes two loaves. My family eats it so fast that I’m glad to have the second or I give it away. I will be keeping canned pumpkin on hand to make this on repeat. Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
★★★★★
So nice to hear this, Nancy 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing. My kiddos and nieces and nephews love this one so much, too.
Sinking my teeth into a slice of this was sooo satisfying! What made it even better than great is, my 7yr old baked the loaves independently. He did so good, thanks to the fool proof recipe!!! We added chocolate chips to one loaf and pumpkin seeds to the other.
This recipe is a keeper! Slices were moist and tender but still held up really well. We LOVED it! Thank you so much for this one ❤ your recipes delight my family!
So nice to read all of this, Shil! And wow, bravo to your 7-yr old 🎉🎉🎉🎉 Thank you for writing and thank you for your kind words 💕💕💕
Another great recipe. Easy to make, comes together fast and kids love it too! Thank you for another fantastic breakfast/snack addition for our family.
★★★★★
Great to hear, Sharon! Thanks so much for writing 🙂
Very good and moist. I use the cloves because it helps the pumpkin flavor.
★★★★★
This is truly the best pumpkin bread recipe. I make it for friends all the time. It freezes so well too! Thanks again for another wonderful recipe.
★★★★★
Great to hear, Sophia! Thanks for writing 🙂
The best pumpkin bread ever!!
★★★★★
Great to hear, Jennifer!
This pumpkin bread looks amazing.
Is it possible to use less sugar by 1/3, and could i use a different oil?
I get reaction from veg oil and too much sugar.
Thank you,
Christine
Yes! Should be fine: I actually just updated the recipe bc I never use vegetable oil. I always use grapeseed oil.
First time making pumpkin bread this year and decided to try a new recipe — this one is a winner for sure!! 10 stars. My family loved this one. Thank you for making me look like a star 🙂
★★★★★
So nice to hear this, Jenny 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing and sharing this.
As with so many of your *speechless* videos, Ali, I love that you don’t edit out the sounds of life — your kids practicing the piano & asking questions. And your recipes are amazing! Trying this one for the first time tonight. The oven’s preheating. Can’t wait!
PS — I’m going with muffins instead of loaves & just learned how to make parchment muffin liners. I have 12 liners ready to go! 😀
Fun! I love making parchment muffin liners, too. I hope the muffins turned out well! Thank you for your kind words. I hope all is well 🙂
The muffins turned out great! I added cream cheese filling which I’d never tried. Next time I’ll leave out the sugar in the cream cheese. The muffin is nicely sweet & I love the extra tartness.
Fun aside: I have a lot of extra organic bread flour left over as I’ve cut way back on my sourdough baking the past few months. So I used bread flour for the muffins which I *think* added some additional body to the crumb without being heavy.
★★★★★
Great to hear, Anthea! And I love that you added a cream cheese filling — I’ve never done that. How fun?! And isn’t it the best feeling to use up random bags of flour? I do this with waffles and pancakes, too… no one seems to mind!
Fabulous. My grandson and I made this together–nice to have two loaves. It doesn’t even need cream cheese because it is so moist.
I give it Five Forks, the highest rating.
★★★★★
Yay! Great to hear Linda 🙂 🙂 🙂 So nice to read this.
Thank you for your support of World Central Kitchen. I made this pumpkin bread today and it was delicious. Moist and not too sweet. Adding it to my favorite recipes.
★★★★★
Great to hear, Kapua! Thanks for writing 🙂
Loved this recipe thank you !
Do you think that I can add orange zest to it ?
My grandkids love making it 🥰
★★★★★
Definitely!
This is the most amazing pumpkin bread. I made it exactly as listed and it turned out fantastic. I gifted a loaf to my neighbor who had just broken her foot. She is still raving about it.
Thank you for so many great recipes and for the videos. I love the videos as sometimes I need that visual.
★★★★★
Great to hear, Melaney 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing.
I love all you’re recipes! Also I love the side commentary from your kids. Side tip from when your pouring honey from a measuring cup – spray cup first with evoo and the honey slides right out!
★★★★★
Such a great tip! Thank you, Alli 🙂 🙂 🙂
This was delicious and easy to make!
★★★★★
Great to hear, Doris!
Cora and I very much enjoyed a slice or two of this after swim lessons today! Great bread as always, Ali — but it’s the piano practice that kills me! Is that Ella on the keys?
xoxo
Awww so nice to read this, Lindsay 🙂 🙂 🙂 I’m actually not sure who that was now… sadly they’ve all quit piano, which breaks my heart, but it was becoming too much of a chore (for all of us!). Hope all is well xoxo