I don’t have a large collection of pumpkin recipes, but the ones I do have I feel quite strongly about. These soft frosted pumpkin cookies are truly outstanding. The crackly brown sugar frosting is the stuff of my dreams.
These pumpkin pinwheels came from my father-in-law and are a must-make every fall. And these healthy pumpkin muffins are such a win when you want to satisfy a fall craving and feel virtuous at the same time.
And finally, there’s this pumpkin bread. She isn’t fancy, but she checks every box required for a perfect loaf.
✔️ Easy to make. We’re talking one bowl, minimal dishes. In the oven in 20 minutes or less.
✔️ Super Moist. I know some of y’all don’t want to be associated with this word, but moist is exactly what pumpkin bread should be. Embrace it.
✔️ Perfectly spiced. The classics- cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves—all in balance. There’s nothing worse than a clove-forward pumpkin loaf, and this recipe avoids that.
✔️ Uses a whole can of pumpkin bread. One of my pet peeves is recipes that only use a tiny bit of a can of pumpkin. It’s why I have a whole collection of what to do with leftover pumpkin puree. Luckily, you won’t have to worry about that with this recipe. You’ll use every last scrape of the can.
✔️ Makes two loaves. The same amount of work for two loaves? Yes, please! Eat one and share one with neighbors. Or freeze one for unexpected company or a week that demands a special treat. Trust me, two loaves of pumpkin bread is the best kind of problem to have.
I’ve included the recipe for all of you lovely subscribers here, but you can grab the step by step photos, storage and freezing instructions, and variations on this Easy Pumpkin Bread post. I hope it becomes a part of your fall baking traditions, as it is ours!
Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Serves: 16
Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Ingredients:
3 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup vegetable oil (or canola oil or coconut oil)
4 eggs (lightly beaten)
2/3 cup orange juice, apple juice, or water
15 oz can pure pumpkin puree
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9 inch loaf pans. If desired, line them each with a parchment paper sling for easy removal. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.
Add the oil, eggs, water or orange juice, and pumpkin puree. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to gently stir the mixture together until no white streaks remain. This might take 1-2 minutes. It will be gloopy until it starts to come together. Just keep it up with slow, gentle stirs. At this point, you can also add in mix-ins, like chocolate chips or chopped nuts, if desired.
Divide the batter evenly between two loaves. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack. Bread can be served warm, but be sure to cool completely before wrapping and storing and/or freezing. The bread keeps well wrapped in saran wrap at room temperature for 5-6 days.
Notes:
Feel free to adjust the spices to your taste. I like my pumpkin bread to be a little more gingery and less nutmeg-y, but you can adjust to your liking.
Add 1 1/2 cup chopped nuts or semi sweet chocolate chips to the batter before baking, if desired.
