Pumpkin Bread

4.65 from 17 votes

This Pumpkin Bread is dense, moist, and properly spiced, made in two bowls with a whisk and a loaf pan. No mixer needed. The important part is knowing when it's done, since the toothpick test doesn't work reliably in a batter this wet.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 10

Total Time1 20

Course: Bread, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pumpkin bread

Servings:

Calories: 257kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

Ingredients

1½ cups sugar granulated
15 ounces pure pumpkin 1 can, not pumpkin pie filling
½ cup butter melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon ground

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8.5 by 4.5 inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk the 1½ cups sugar, 15 ounces pure pumpkin, ½ cup melted butter, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract together until smooth.
In another bowl, whisk together the 1¾ cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until the flour disappears. The batter will look lumpy and that's correct. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
Transfer the loaf pan to the oven and bake for 70 to 80 minutes, starting to check at 65 minutes. It's done when an instant read thermometer inserted into the center reads 200 to 205°F, the top is domed and cracked, and the edges have pulled slightly away from the pan. If the top browns before the center sets, tent it loosely with foil.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Let it cool completely, at least 2 hours, before slicing.

Video

Notes

Pure pumpkin, not pie filling. The cans look nearly identical. Check that the ingredient list says pumpkin and nothing else.
Spoon and level the flour. Scooping packs it down and can give you 20% more than the recipe wants, which is the main cause of a dry loaf.
Stop mixing when the flour disappears. Lumps are fine. Overmixing makes it tough and dense.
Use a thermometer: 200 to 205°F in the center. The toothpick test is unreliable in a batter this wet.
Cool 2 hours before slicing. The crumb is still setting, and cutting warm gives you gummy slices.
Test old leavening. Baking soda and powder both fade. If the tins have been open 6 months, check they still fizz.
Mix ins: about 1 cup total. Toss chocolate chips in a tablespoon of the flour so they don't sink, and fold everything in at the end.
Muffins: fill cups two thirds full and bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes.

Nutrition