Food & Cooking Recipes Breakfast & Brunch Recipes Bread Recipes Pumpkin Bread 4.1 (15) This classic quick bread is the ultimate easy autumnal treat. Prep Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 45 mins Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Servings: 16 Yield: 2 loaves Jump to recipe Our quick pumpkin bread recipe is the ultimate fall treat you'll enjoy morning, noon, and night: Enjoy it with a cup of coffee before heading out the door or serve it for a midday or after-school snack for a sweet treat that kids and adults will love. The recipe starts with canned pumpkin puree and calls for two different types of sugar—granulated and dark brown. The latter adds a touch of molasses flavor and chewy texture, which is key in a loaf cake like this. We amped up the autumnal flavor, too, spicing it with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. And since the recipe makes two loaves, there's plenty to share or freeze for another time—trust us, your future self will thank you. 20 Easy Quick Bread Recipes to Bake and Enjoy Any Time Credit: Jason Donnelly Why We Love Canned Pumpkin Perhaps the most important ingredient for a moist and tender—but not gummy—pumpkin bread is the pumpkin itself. For baking projects, we prefer to reach for a can of pumpkin puree rather than making it at home. That's because the canned stuff is always consistent in flavor and texture which isn't always the case when you make fresh pumpkin puree. When shopping, be sure to seek out pumpkin puree (which should be labeled as 100 percent pumpkin) and not pumpkin pie filling. Unlike canned pumpkin, pie filling contains sugar, salt, and spices that can throw off the texture and flavor of your recipe. decorvow It’s one of my golden rules for cooking and baking. When a professional chef prepares a dish for service, they first gather all the ingredients needed to finish it. — decorvow Dos and Don'ts for Perfect Pumpkin Bread Do use room temperature ingredients: To ensure a smooth, emulsified batter that rises well, be sure to let your eggs and buttermilk come to room temperature before using. Adding cold ingredients can cause the butter to solidify which can throw off the texture of the finished product. It's also wise to let your melted butter cool before adding it to the bowl. Don't swap in regular milk: Since this recipe calls for baking soda in addition to baking powder, it's essential to use an acidic ingredient—ie: buttermilk—to ensure the soda activates. If you don't have buttermilk, don't be tempted to swap in regular milk. Instead, add 1 tablespoon acid (such as white vinegar or lemon juice) to 1/2 cup of dairy or plant-based milk. Mix and let sit for several minutes to thicken. Do alternate dry and wet ingredients: To avoid over-mixing, it's important to alternate adding your dry ingredients and buttermilk. Start with half of the flour mixture, then gradually add the liquid and finish with the remaining dry. While dark brown sugar will contribute a lovely, deep molasses flavor to these loaves, you can certainly swap in light brown sugar if that's what you have on hand. If you're out of brown sugar all together, make a DIY version with our easy recipe. Directions Credit: Jason Donnelly Preheat oven and prepare loaf pans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Credit: Jason Donnelly Beat pumpkin puree and sugars: Combine pumpkin puree and sugars in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Credit: Jason Donnelly Add eggs and butter: Add eggs and melted butter and beat to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Credit: Jason Donnelly Add flour mixture and buttermilk: With mixer on low, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat to combine. Credit: Jason Donnelly Fill pans with batter: Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth tops. Credit: Jason Donnelly Bake: Bake, rotating once, until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Turn out of pans, re-invert onto wire rack, and cool completely. Credit: Jason Donnelly How to Store Pumpkin Bread Pumpkin bread will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freezing Pumpkin Bread: To freeze a loaf for later, let it cool completely, then wrap in a double-layer of plastic followed by a layer of foil (or place wrapped loaf in a freezer bag). Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying. Variations Add whole-wheat flour: Whole-wheat flour's nutty flavor will work well in this recipe, but using too much can make baked goods quite dense. We recommend adding half whole-wheat flour and half all-purpose flour to ensure the finished loaves aren't too heavy. Switch up your spices: If you don't have allspice (or dislike it), feel free to use another warming spice such as ground ginger or cardamom instead. Frequently Asked Questions Can I use homemade pumpkin puree for this recipe? Yes, you can use homemade pumpkin puree for this recipe. We prefer to go with canned pumpkin as it is a consistent product that's incredibly convenient. However, you can make your own puree from fresh pumpkin if you like. Just be sure to use a sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin and not a carving pumpkin, which will be watery and lacking in flavor. Can I cut this recipe in half if I only need one loaf? Yes, you can cut this recipe in half if you only need one loaf. Plan to use 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour. Leftover pumpkin puree can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Can pumpkin bread be made gluten free? Yes, pumpkin bread can be made gluten free. Swap in an equal amount of a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour substitute. Because those gluten-free mixes are designed to replace all-purpose flour, there's no need to adjust the other ingredients. 5 More Pumpkin Recipes Just Right for Fall Pumpkin Cookies With Brown-Butter Icing Pumpkin Pancakes Cranberry-Pumpkin Muffins Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie With Phyllo Crust Easy Pumpkin Bars With Cream-Cheese Frosting Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.