Pumpkin Bread with Soft Crumb and Warm Cinnamon Nutmeg Spice
By Sophia Reed
Prep
10 min
Cook
55 min
Total
75 min
Servings
2
Level
Easy
Ten minutes of prep gets two loaves of pumpkin bread into the oven, making it manageable for a busy baking day. This quick bread bakes up soft and moist, with pure pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg giving each slice a gently spiced flavor.
The batter starts with pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, oil or melted butter, water, and eggs. All-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg are whisked separately before being gradually stirred into the pumpkin mixture. Using 100% pure pumpkin rather than pumpkin pie filling keeps the flavor and consistency aligned with the recipe, while the oil or butter supplies the bread’s tender crumb.
The batter should be evenly divided between two greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pans before baking. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean when the loaves are done, though the baking time can vary by oven and pan material. A center crack is normal for this dense quick-bread batter, so do not mistake it for a failed loaf or pull it early.
Cool the loaves briefly in their pans on wire racks, then remove them to finish cooling before slicing. Serve plain or spread slices with cinnamon honey butter or maple butter. Whole loaves or individual slices can be wrapped and frozen for later.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Starts with just 10 minutes of prep because the wet ingredients are mixed in one bowl before the dry mixture is gradually stirred in.
- Makes two full loaves at once, so one baking session covers sharing, gifting, or setting aside slices for another day.
- Uses familiar pantry baking staples, including flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, without requiring specialty equipment or mix-ins.
- Offers flexibility with the fat because canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or melted butter all work in the stated amount.
- Keeps the method straightforward with two bowls and two loaf pans, avoiding kneading, yeast proofing, or complicated shaping before baking.
- Freezes well as whole loaves or individual slices, which makes it practical to bake ahead and thaw only what is needed.
Ingredients
- •2 cups pure pumpkin puree (canned or fresh; 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
- •3 cups granulated sugar (white sugar)
- •1 cup canola oil, vegetable oil, avocado oil, or melted butter
- •0.67 cup water
- •4 large eggs
- •3.33 cups all-purpose flour
- •2 teaspoons baking soda
- •1.5 teaspoons salt
- •1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- •1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- •nonstick cooking spray (for the loaf pans)
Instructions
- 1
Gather the ingredients.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees for nonstick loaf pans or 325 degrees for glass loaf pans.
- 3
Mix the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil or melted butter, water, and eggs in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
- 4
Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl, then whisk until well combined.
- 5
Gradually pour the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture and stir well until completely combined.
- 6
Spray the bottoms and interior sides of two 9-by-5-inch or 1.5-quart loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- 7
Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared loaf pans.
- 8
Bake for 55 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 9
Transfer the loaf pans to wire racks and let the bread cool in the pans for a few minutes.
- 10
Remove the pumpkin bread from the loaf pans and let it continue cooling on wire racks.
- 11
Slice and serve once the loaves have completely cooled.
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