This traditional homemade pumpkin bread recipe is the perfect fall snack to make that the entire family LOVES! This recipe has the perfect autumn balance of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a sweet delicious bread. Enjoy all holiday season!
Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
- Flour – All-purpose flour is your best choice here.
- Baking soda and baking powder – You’ll need both to get that lift.
- Spices – You’ll need ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves to add flavor.
- Salt – This balances those sweet, earthy flavors.
- Butter – Use unsalted and make sure you soften it first.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar will give this that proper sweet taste.
- Eggs – Binds everything together.
- Pumpkin puree – Use the completely pure stuff without any added flavor.
- Vanilla extract – Balancing the sweetness, of course.
- Walnuts – An optional ingredient you can use if you choose.
How do you Make Pumpkin Bread from Scratch
To make this simple pumpkin bread recipe, start by heating your oven to 325F and grease your loaf pans with nonstick baking spray. Mix the batter in a large bowl with flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, then set aside. In another large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on low to medium with your electric mixer. Once slightly blended, add the eggs one at a time. Beat until light and fluffy, then add the pumpkin. Add the dry mixture to the wet one 1/3 of a cup at a time until all mixed. Split the batter between the two pans and add chopped walnuts on top if you want them. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, then let them cool.
Expert Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Moist Pumpkin Bread Every Time
- Keep your eggs and butter at room temperature. Doing so will give your moist pumpkin bread a better texture and a more even rise.
- Use pumpkin puree. This is the stuff that is cooked and pureed, nothing more. You don’t want pumpkin pie filling because it has added spices and sugar which will throw off the taste in this recipe.
- You can make it gluten-free. When looking to make a healthy pumpkin bread recipe that is gluten-free, simply swap the flour for gluten-free and the baking powder too. Baking soda is already gluten-free.
How to Cook Pumpkin Bread?
Pumpkin bread requires some minimal mixing skills before getting it into the pans and baking it in your oven.
How Long to Bake Pumpkin Bread?
It will take 60 to 75 minutes to bake your pumpkin bread when your oven is preheated to 325F.
How do you know when pumpkin bread is done?
Insert a toothpick into the center after 60 minutes of baking. If it comes out clean, it’s ready!
Why is my pumpkin bread dry?
If you didn’t measure correctly, you may have added too little liquid or too much flour. Baking at too high of a temperature can also make it dry. And be sure not to over-mix the ingredients too!
How do you keep pumpkin bread moist?
The pumpkin puree does a fine job of keeping it moist. The longer you keep it though, the more it will dry out so do try to use it up before then.
