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Pumpkin Bread is loaded with warm spices and full of delicious pumpkin flavor. This recipe will become one of your absolute favorites!
There is just something about quick breads that make me happy. They’re one of my absolute favorite things to bake no matter the season.
They come together super easily, they’re often delicious for both breakfast and dessert and they’re the perfect treat to gift to just about anyone.
From Banana Bread, Zucchini Banana Bread, Apple Pie Bread, and Butternut Squash Bread, I pretty much have any type of quick bread you could possibly want. But my absolute favorite quick bread of all the quick breads here on My Baking Addiction, this Pumpkin Bread will always be my most loved and most baked!
THE BEST PUMPKIN BREAD RECIPE
Okay, let’s chat about this pumpkin bread. There is nothing that signifies fall for me more than this recipe. I’ve been making it for years – long before my blog, and it shows up countless times in my kitchen throughout the season.
It’s sweet, spicy and incredibly moist. I know, I know, moist is not my favorite word either, but there is really no way to adequately describe this Pumpkin Bread recipe without mentioning that word.
I have fed this bread to so many people and every one of them has declared that this recipe is the best Pumpkin Bread they have ever tasted.
This particular recipe gets better with time, so whip it up a day or so in advance before you plan on eating it or giving it away.
Because let me tell you, it makes a great gift for neighbors, a hostess gift, or a gift for your boss if you’re looking to butter them up a bit.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN BREAD
This quick bread recipe takes a bit of time to bake, but I bet you can pull together the batter in about the same amount of time it’ll take for the oven to preheat.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and measure out your ingredients:
- 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin puree
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup water
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
Like all quick-bread recipes, we mix together the wet ingredients in one bowl, which in this case includes a whole can of pumpkin puree. We’re not skimping on the pumpkin in this bread!
In another bowl, we’ll whisk together all of the dry ingredients. From there, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix the batter together before dividing into two loaf pans.
That’s right, this bread makes two loaves! That’s why it’s extra perfect for gifting.
Or you could keep them both for yourself. It freezes beautifully, after all. Serve it up plain, toasted, with a spread of butter, or get a little adventurous and fry it up in a pan and make Pumpkin Bread French Toast!
CAN YOU USE PUMPKIN PIE FILLING IN THIS RECIPE?
When you’re making this bread, make sure you grab a can of pure pumpkin puree.
Canned pumpkin pie filling is not the same thing; it has a bunch of added ingredients that we don’t need in our Pumpkin Bread.
While you’re at the store, grab a few extra cans because I can guarantee you’ll want to use them in Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Bundt Cake, Pumpkin Crunch Cake, and more.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
This bread is perfect as it is, but you can totally add some extra if you want.
Add in some chocolate chips for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread, or even add things like chopped pecans and dried cranberries. Simply fold them in before you add the batter to the pans.
If you love pumpkin bread, but are looking for pumpkin muffins? This recipe works beautifully for both.
Simply divide the batter into muffin tins that are either sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or lined with paper liners.
Bake them up at 350°F for about 18-20 minutes and you’ll have some seriously delicious pumpkin muffins!
STORING AND FREEZING
Store this bread well wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want it to keep for longer, pop it into the refrigerator.
This recipe is also great for freezing. You can either freeze the loaves whole or freeze individual slices.
To freeze the whole loaves, wrap the bread well in plastic wrap and then wrap them tightly in foil.
To freeze slices, cut nice, thick slices and wrap them each in plastic wrap. Pop them in a zip-top freezer bag.
Freeze the bread for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, take the whole loaves out of the freezer and let them thaw on the counter overnight, or grab as many slices as you like and microwave them for 30-60 seconds for a nice warm slice of Pumpkin Bread.
Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 can pure pumpkin puree 15 ounces
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups sugar
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8.5 x 4 x 2.5 inch loaf pans.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, vanilla and sugar until well blended.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice until combined.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
- Bake in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Video
Notes
- Makes 2 8.5×4-inch loaves
- This bread is a fantastic base for all sorts of additions. Get creative by adding in chopped nuts, chocolate chips, dried cranberries or whatever else sounds good to you.
- Adapted from allrecipes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was a very nice, moist, and easy bread. Love that it made two loafs and had standard ingredients. I’m not fond of recipes that call for butter milk, because I end up tossing the butter milk ( so wasteful ).
The next time I make this, I think I’ll add some chopped pecans to the top.
Have you ever tried to use fresh pumpkin out of the garden? If so were the puree measurements the same?
Chris-
Hi! I have not tried to make this bread using fresh pumpkin puree, although I think it would be amazing. If you give it a whirl – definitely report back. Have a great day.
-Jamie
Currently making this recipe with coconut oil because I realized that we’re out of vegetable oil. We were also low on cane sugar so I used half cane and half brown sugar. Will let you know how it turns out!
New to cooking…but have made my own pumpkin puree from pumpkins. How much would i use for your recipie? Also…its a bit runnier than what comes in a can is that ok.Thanks
Monica-
I have not attempted this recipe with homemade pumpkin puree, but I bet it would be amazing. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear your feedback. Thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
I tried this in the original loaf recipe a few weeks ago and because it turned out so well, I tried them as mini-muffins, making half the recipe and just baking them for 11-12 minutes, to take to an all day tailgate party. They were delicious little pumpkin bites! Huge hit with the crowd. Definitely keeping in my fall recipe arsenal and excited to try with some dried cranberries and walnuts mixed in.
Tana-
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe – thanks for stopping by and leaving your feedback! Have a great day.
-Jamie
is there a whole wheat substitution for this recipe. i’m almost out of regular flour but have whole wheat flour and wondered how to make that one change in the recipe?
Jackie-
I have never attempted this recipe with whole wheat flour, but if you give it a try, I’d love to hear your results. Have a great day.
-Jamie
I made this bread over the weekend and I have to say that it is the best pumpkin bread I have ever eaten!!
Awesome and easy I did it all without diggin out the mixer
Sharon-
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe – thanks for stopping by and leaving your feedback! Have a great day.
-Jamie
Thanks so much for this recipe!
The bread came out so soft and it’s still warm – I could just hug it :) Even my pumpkin-hating boyfriend loves it!
Natasa-
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe – thanks so much for leaving your feedback! Have a great day!
-Jamie
Is it possible to freeze this bread? I made four loaves and was gonna put two in the freezer to use next week…hmm…wonder if it’ll still be moist?
Cathy-
This bread freezes really well – I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
-Jamie