This Easy Pumpkin Bread is a quick bread recipe made with convenient canned pumpkin. Super moist and flavored with delicious spices, it's perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert!
An Easy Quick Bread Recipe
One of my favorite quick bread recipes is this easy pumpkin bread.
I love it because it's so easy to whip up in no time because it's made with pantry staple canned pumpkin.
Watch how to make this Easy Pumpkin Bread
In just over an hour, you can be sitting down and enjoying warm, fresh pumpkin bread with a cup of coffee, tea, or milk!
How To Make Pumpkin Bread
This bread recipe is super moist and is the perfect blend of pumpkin and spices.
When making the bread, do these two things:
- always mix the dry and wet ingredients separately
- gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients
Mixing the dry ingredients in a separate bowl ensures the baking powder and soda/spices/etc are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
Additionally, mixing the wet ingredients together separately makes sure everything is thoroughly combined before the dry mix is added.
These mixing principles are used to avoid over-working the batter so gluten doesn't develop in the bread dough.
Preventing Gluten Formation
Gluten is the enemy to quick breads. In other words, a little gluten is okay, but not a lot.
Quick breads should have a small, even crumb, just like a cake.
Overworking the batter causes too much gluten to form and that will make the bread's texture dense.
As a result of too much gluten, instead of a moist and tender sweet bread, it will be tough and chewy.
Basically gluten can be prevented from forming by mixing the batter as little as possible and mixing the dry ingredients just until moistened.
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The Best Pan For Baking
What is the best pan for baking quick breads? My preference is a heavy duty, non stick, durable steel construction loaf pan.
The type of pan I always use is similar to this one below:
It makes perfectly browned and evenly cooked moist little loaves.
However, I prefer the mini loaf pan because everyone can have their own cute individual bread loaves.
I love wrapping up the mini loaves and giving them away as hostess or holiday gifts.
No one's going to turn down homemade moist pumpkin bread!!
You can make a regular sized loaf or muffins with this recipe too.
The Baking instructions for all sizes are found below in the recipe card.
Storing Quick Breads
- Store completely cooled leftover bread in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 2 days
- For longer storage, place in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
- For even LONGER storage, freeze bread for up to 3 months in a freezer proof container or bag
Ways To Eat Pumpkin Bread:
- Serve warm with butter
- Spread with cream cheese
- Toast it and serve with Corned Beef Hash and Eggs or Roast Beef Hash
- Top with whipped heavy cream and fresh fruit for an easy dessert or snack
- Make french toast out of it with homemade breakfast sausage patties
- Enjoy a cup of Irish Coffee with your little loaf or slice(s)
- Lastly, make a pumpkin bread peanut butter sandwich (can also use almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter)
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a comment and a rating below to let me know! I LOVE to hear from you!
Easy Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 cup plain pureed pumpkin, canned
- ½ cup oil
- ½ cup water
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg fresh grated
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 recipe whipped cream optional for topping
optional: ½ cup each of chopped nuts & raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/176C degrees. If using a dark pan, lower temperature to 325F/163C.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 cup pumpkin, ½ cup oil, ½ cup water, and 2 large eggs and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, add 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. Mix well using a whisk.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix until just combined. **Gently stir in optional ½ cup each of nuts and raisins, if desired.
- Pour into well greased 9X5 inch loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and serve warm or place on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Can also make into mini-loaves or muffins! Just bake in a well greased mini loaf pan or muffin pan and adjust the cooking time to 18-23 minutes
- Store completely cooled leftover bread in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
- Can freeze bread for up to 3 months in a freezer proof container or bag
Misty
My daughter just turned 16 yesterday, and she had asked me to make her some pumpkin bread for her birthday.. I wanted to make her some mini loaves of pumpkin bread so she could easily take some with her to school and such.. so I found your recipe here and made it for her and she said, “omg mom, this pumpkin bread is to die for!” Lol! I tried it myself and can confirm it is absolutely delicious! So moist too! I will definitely be making this my go to pumpkin bread recipe! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
TJ OReilly
Eating this all day... Brought this into work and all my coworkers have been commenting how good it is. Thanks for the great recipe.
Karrie@tastyeverafter
Thank you TJ for trying the recipe. So happy everyone enjoyed it!