The Ultimate One-Bowl Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe: Better Than Starbucks!
There’s nothing quite like the comforting aroma and taste of freshly baked pumpkin bread, especially as the crisp air of fall rolls in. This incredible Pumpkin Bread Recipe isn’t just easy to make; it’s also wonderfully moist, generously spiced, and unbelievably delicious. Prepare to be amazed, because this homemade version is so good, it might just outshine your favorite coffee shop’s pumpkin bread (yes, we’re looking at you, Starbucks!). Crafted in just one bowl using simple pantry staples, this recipe simplifies your baking while delivering maximum flavor.
As autumn arrives, my kitchen effortlessly transitions from baking moist banana bread to my delightful pumpkin banana bread, and finally, to this quintessential pumpkin bread recipe. I fully embrace the season, unabashedly infusing pumpkin into everything from pumpkin spice oatmeal and gluten-free pumpkin bars to a show-stopping pumpkin cake! If you’re as pumpkin-obsessed as I am, be sure to explore these 25 Best Pumpkin Recipes for Fall for more seasonal inspiration.
This recipe yields two generous loaves, perfectly utilizing an entire can of pumpkin puree. These loaves are fantastic for gifting to friends and family, or you can stash one in the freezer to enjoy later. Of course, you can always halve the recipe if you only need one loaf. If you find yourself with extra pumpkin puree, don’t let it go to waste! Use it in these healthy pumpkin muffins or embark on a bolder baking adventure with pumpkin spice donuts!
Table of Contents
- Why This is The Best Moist Pumpkin Bread
- Professional Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Bread
- Essential Ingredients for Homemade Pumpkin Bread
- Creative Variations & Easy Substitutions
- How to Make the Best Pumpkin Bread
- Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip for Dividing Batter
- Frequently Asked Questions About Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Bread Recipe Card
- Explore More Fall Dessert Recipes
Why This is The Best Moist Pumpkin Bread
When it comes to homemade pumpkin bread, this recipe stands out from the rest. Here’s why it’s consistently hailed as the best:
- Made in One Bowl for Ultimate Convenience. Simplicity is key! This pumpkin bread recipe is incredibly easy, requiring no fancy equipment or endless dirty dishes. All the ingredients are whisked together in a single bowl, making cleanup a breeze. Forget melting butter or dragging out a stand mixer – just grab a whisk and get baking!
- Perfectly Spiced for Irresistible Flavor. Bland pumpkin bread is a thing of the past! This quick bread achieves a harmonious balance, allowing both the rich pumpkin flavor and the aromatic spices to shine through. Every bite is a delightful explosion of warmth and coziness, thanks to a carefully selected blend of fall spices. You’ll never encounter a dull or flat taste with this recipe.
- Freezes, Ships, and Slices Beautifully. Whether you’re planning ahead for holiday gatherings, sending a thoughtful gift, or simply enjoying a slice with your morning coffee, this pumpkin bread is incredibly versatile. It freezes exceptionally well, maintaining its moist texture and robust flavor. Its sturdy yet tender crumb also ensures it slices cleanly and holds up beautifully for shipping, making it the perfect treat to share.
Professional Tips for Perfect Pumpkin Bread Every Time
Achieving bakery-quality pumpkin bread at home is easier than you think with these expert tips:
- Avoid Over-mixing the Batter. This is crucial, especially for one-bowl quick bread recipes. Over-mixing develops gluten in the flour, which can lead to a tough, chewy loaf instead of a tender, moist one. To prevent this, I typically switch from a whisk to a rubber spatula once the dry ingredients are mostly incorporated. Gently fold the remaining dry bits into the wet mixture until just combined – a few small streaks of flour are perfectly fine.
- Master the Bake Time. Quick breads often require a longer bake, which can make them prone to being either over or under-baked. Keep a close eye on your loaf as it approaches the 35-minute mark. The best way to test for doneness is to insert a cake tester, thin knife, or toothpick into the center of the loaf. It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it, but no wet batter.
- Sugar the Loaf Pans for a Crunchy Crust. For an extra special touch, lightly coat your greased loaf pans with granulated sugar before adding the batter. The sugar adheres to the pan and caramelizes during baking, creating a wonderfully sweet, slightly crunchy crust on the outside of your pumpkin bread. This provides a delightful textural contrast to the soft interior.
- Allow for Proper Cooling. I know, the temptation to slice into a warm loaf is immense, and I’m guilty of this baking sin myself! However, allowing the pumpkin bread to cool completely on a wire rack is essential. This process allows the crumb structure to fully set and firm up. Slicing quick bread while it’s still hot can cause it to compress, appear underbaked, and potentially fall apart. Patience truly pays off here!
Essential Ingredients for Homemade Pumpkin Bread
Crafting the perfect moist pumpkin bread starts with the right ingredients. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why each component is important:
- All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour provides the ideal structure for quick breads. It contains just the right amount of gluten to hold together all the sugar, oil, and pumpkin, ensuring a tender crumb without making the bread overly chewy or tough.
- Baking Soda: A crucial leavening agent, baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients (like pumpkin puree, in a subtle way, or brown sugar’s molasses) to produce carbon dioxide, which helps the bread rise and become light. Always check the freshness of your baking soda; it loses potency over time! A simple test: drop a pinch into vinegar – if it bubbles, it’s still active.
- Baking Powder: Working in conjunction with baking soda, double-acting baking powder provides a two-stage lift. It reacts initially when mixed with liquid and then again when heated in the oven. This ensures a slower, more stable rise, contributing to a consistently airy and well-structured loaf.
- Kosher Salt: More than just adding a salty taste, Kosher salt is a powerful flavor enhancer. It balances the sweetness, deepens the spice notes, and prevents the pumpkin bread from tasting dull or flat. Remember, kosher salt is less dense than table salt, so its measurement can differ.
- Spices: This recipe uses a classic blend of warm fall spices: cinnamon, ground ginger, mace, ground cloves, and allspice. This combination creates a rich, fragrant profile that perfectly complements the pumpkin. For convenience, you can also substitute this blend with 2 tablespoons of my homemade pumpkin spice mix recipe.
- Vegetable Oil: The secret to this bread’s exceptional moistness! Vegetable oil (or another neutral-flavored oil like canola) helps keep the crumb incredibly tender and prevents it from drying out. It emulsifies beautifully with the sugar and eggs, creating a smooth, rich batter. You can also use melted coconut oil for a similar result.
- Eggs: Whole eggs are vital for structure and emulsification. They bind the ingredients together, add richness, and, most importantly, help to emulsify the significant amount of oil into the batter. This ensures a perfectly moist bread that is rich but not greasy.
- Light Brown Sugar: Beyond adding sweetness, light brown sugar contributes moisture and a subtle, rich molasses flavor. This ingredient helps keep the pumpkin quick bread wonderfully soft and enhances its overall complexity. Dark brown sugar or coconut sugar can be substituted for slightly different flavor nuances.
- Granulated Sugar: Yes, there’s a generous amount of granulated sugar in this recipe. Let’s be honest, quick breads like this are a treat! It provides essential sweetness and also plays a role in the bread’s structure and browning. Embrace the indulgence and enjoy every delightful slice.
- Pumpkin Puree: I consistently use Libby’s pumpkin puree for recipe development due to its consistent moisture content, but any trusted brand of pure pumpkin puree will work. The key is to ensure you grab pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added spices and sugar. I strongly advise against using homemade pumpkin puree for this recipe, as its moisture content can vary greatly, potentially leading to a gummy or overly dense bread.
- Water: A small amount of water might seem unusual, but it’s essential for achieving the perfect texture. The water helps to loosen the batter, resulting in a lighter, cake-like bread rather than one that is dense and gummy.
Creative Variations & Easy Substitutions for Your Pumpkin Bread
This moist pumpkin bread recipe is wonderfully versatile, allowing for easy tweaks to suit your taste or what you have on hand. Don’t be afraid to get creative!
- Bake Pumpkin Muffins Instead: This same delicious batter can easily be transformed into delightful pumpkin muffins! Simply divide the batter among 12 muffin cups (lined with paper liners or greased well), filling each about two-thirds full. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This exact recipe is the base for my popular pumpkin cream cheese muffins!
- Swap Vegetable Oil for Coconut Oil: For a slightly different flavor profile and equally moist results, replace the vegetable oil with an equal amount of melted coconut oil. Don’t worry, the robust pumpkin and spice flavors ensure you won’t taste the coconut in the final product. Just ensure it’s melted and slightly cooled before incorporating.
- Add Ins for Extra Texture and Flavor: Elevate your pumpkin bread with delicious mix-ins! Stir in 1-1½ cups of your favorite additions like:
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet, milk, or even white chocolate chips are fantastic.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts or pecans add a lovely crunch.
- Dried Fruit: Dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped apricots complement the pumpkin beautifully.
Fold these in gently with the dry ingredients or just before the final mix with the spatula.
- Drizzle with a Simple Glaze: For an extra touch of sweetness, consider a quick glaze. A simple powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar mixed with a little milk or water) or a maple glaze (powdered sugar, maple syrup, and a splash of milk) can be drizzled over the cooled loaves.
How to Make the Best Pumpkin Bread: A Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these straightforward instructions to bake perfectly moist and flavorful pumpkin bread every single time. Detailed measurements and precise quantities can be found in the comprehensive recipe card further down this page.
Step 1: Prepare Your Pans and Preheat the Oven. Begin by preheating your oven to a steady 350°F (175°C). Take two standard 9” x 5” loaf pans, spray them thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray, and then lightly coat the insides with granulated sugar. Tap out any excess sugar – you can even add it back to your sugar bowl if you wish! This sugared coating will create a delightful, slightly crispy crust.
Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and all your aromatic spices (cinnamon, ground ginger, mace, ground cloves, and allspice). Whisk well to ensure all the dry ingredients and spices are evenly distributed. Set this bowl aside.
Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients. In a separate, equally large bowl, combine the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs. Whisk these together vigorously until the mixture is smooth, homogenous, and no visible streaks of egg remain. Then, whisk in the pumpkin puree and water until fully incorporated and the mixture is vibrant orange and smooth.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures. Gradually add the whisked dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Begin whisking until the dry ingredients are partially incorporated. At this point, remove the whisk and switch to a rubber spatula. Gently fold the batter until it is just smooth, ensuring no dry pockets of flour remain. Remember, it’s crucial not to over-mix here to keep your pumpkin bread tender.
Step 5: Fill Pans and Bake. Divide the smooth batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. For precise division, especially if you want consistent bake times, use a kitchen scale (each pan will hold approximately 1,030 grams of batter). Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 45-60 minutes. Rotate the pans about halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning and cooking.
How to Check for Doneness: The pumpkin bread is perfectly baked when a cake tester, thin knife, or a simple toothpick inserted into the very center of the loaf comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it. You should see absolutely no wet streaks of batter.
Step 6: Cool Properly. Once baked, remove the pans from the oven and let the pumpkin bread cool in the pans for at least 10 minutes. This initial cooling helps the loaves firm up before handling. After 10 minutes, carefully invert the loaves onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely. This allows air to circulate around the entire loaf, preventing any moisture from making the bottom soggy.
For the absolute best texture and to prevent a compressed, underbaked appearance, allow your quick bread to cool completely before attempting to slice it. Patience is a virtue when it comes to perfect pumpkin bread!
Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip for Dividing Batter
For consistent baking and perfectly even loaves, precisely dividing the batter between your two pans is key. The easiest and most accurate way to do this is by using a kitchen scale! Each standard 9″ x 5″ loaf pan will ideally hold approximately 1,030 grams of batter. This ensures both loaves bake at a similar rate and achieve uniform results.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pumpkin Bread
Bland pumpkin bread is often due to an insufficient amount of spices or the omission/reduction of kosher salt. Salt is critical not just for adding salinity, but also for enhancing and balancing all the other flavors in the bread. Ensure your spices are fresh and don’t skimp on the salt for a truly flavorful loaf!
To prevent soggy pumpkin bread, always remove it from the baking pan and cool it completely on a wire rack after the initial 10-minute resting period in the pan. Wrapping quick bread in plastic or parchment paper before it has fully cooled will trap steam and lead to a soggy exterior. Other culprits can be underbaking (leaving it too moist internally) or using homemade pumpkin puree with inconsistent, high moisture content.
While some home cooks prefer fresh pumpkin, as a pastry chef, I consistently recommend canned pumpkin puree for baking, especially for recipes like quick breads. Canned pumpkin’s moisture content is tightly controlled and highly consistent across batches and brands. This predictability is vital for baking success, as too much moisture (often found in homemade purees) can lead to a gummy or dense quick bread. Stick to canned pure pumpkin puree for reliable results!
Once your baked pumpkin bread has cooled completely to room temperature, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper. This prevents it from drying out. Store it at room temperature for up to one week, in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or freeze it for up to three months. When freezing, wrap it extra securely in an additional layer of foil or place it in an airtight freezer bag for best quality.
Pumpkin bread is absolutely delightful on its own, but there are many ways to elevate your serving experience! Consider serving it with a generous smear of cream cheese, a dollop of quick strawberry jam, mixed berry jam, or even cherry preserves. A little almond butter also makes a fantastic pairing. For an easy dessert, serve a slice warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of vanilla anglaise, or simply a dollop of fluffy homemade whipped cream.
If you tried this wonderful pumpkin bread recipe and loved it, please take a moment to leave a 🌟 star rating and share your experience in the comments below. I truly love hearing from you; your feedback and comments make my day!
Pumpkin Bread
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Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups
- 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons ginger
- ½ teaspoon mace
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 4 whole eggs
- 16 oz pumpkin puree canned
- ½ cup water
- granulated sugar for coating pans
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray two 9” x 5” loaf pans and coat generously with granulated sugar, tapping out any excess. This creates a delicious crunchy crust!
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In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt and all the listed spices (cinnamon, ginger, mace, ground cloves, allspice). Set aside.
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In a separate large bowl, whisk together light brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs until the mixture is smooth and completely free of egg streaks. Then, whisk in the pumpkin puree and water until fully combined.
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Pour the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture. Whisk until partially incorporated, then remove the whisk. Finish mixing the batter with a rubber spatula, gently folding until just smooth and no pockets of dry flour remain. Be careful not to overmix.
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Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. For best results and even baking, use a kitchen scale; each pan should hold approximately 1,030 grams of batter.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, rotating the pans about halfway through the baking time.
The pumpkin bread is done when a cake tester (or thin knife/toothpick) inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it – no wet streaks!
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Cool the pumpkin bread in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the loaves out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
Variations – Feel free to add 1 to 1.5 cups of mix-ins like chocolate chips, chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), or dried fruits (cranberries, raisins) when combining the dry ingredients.
Substitutions – Melted coconut oil can be easily substituted for the vegetable oil for a slightly different flavor profile. If you prefer, you can use 2 tablespoons of my homemade pumpkin spice mix recipe instead of the individual spices listed in the recipe card above.
Storage – For optimal freshness, ensure your baked pumpkin bread has cooled completely to room temperature before wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper. It will stay fresh at room temperature for up to a week, in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or frozen for up to three months.
Nutrition
Explore More Fall Dessert Recipes
I truly hope you enjoyed baking and savoring this exceptional pumpkin bread recipe! If you’re looking to continue your fall baking adventure, be sure to check out our other delicious, chef-developed Fall dessert recipes. Don’t miss out on these 10 Easy Pumpkin Desserts you must make this Fall for even more seasonal treats that are perfect for any occasion.