May I introduce you to the very pumpkin bread recipe I’ve had for breakfast every Thanksgiving since I was on solid food. This pumpkin bread is super moist, with a tender crumb, and full of warming spices. Plus it makes two loaves, perfect for sharing or freezing for later.
My mom would make this the night before Thanksgiving (while baking something like 837 pies), so breakfast was ready to go. Then she could focus on the busy day of cooking turkey, dressing and all the trimmings…and my dad and I could focus on straining the local power grid with our display of Christmas lights.
(The lights on Clark Griswold’s house in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation were always *the goal*…)
Pumpkin Bread is delicious served up with cream cheese (or cream cheese frosting), apple butter or even peanut butter. It pairs nicely with fruit and cheese for lighter breakfast, but also fits in toasted with eggs and bacon for something heartier.
KEY INGREDIENTS
- Canned Pumpkin – Make sure you grab canned pumpkin NOT pumpkin pie filling
- All-Purpose Flour – I typically use all-purpose flour in this recipe, but I have been known to go 50/50 with whole wheat. Just remember that whole wheat flour will add some weight to the loaf, and make for a denser crumb.
THE PROCESS
Measure and mix your dry ingredients.
Measure and mix your wet ingredients.
Add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Pan it up. Bake.
Voila!
Fun Fact: This recipes uses the ENTIRE CAN of pumpkin. So, no pesky leftover puree to sit in the back of your fridge until New Year’s.
Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
- 2 – 9in loaf pans
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup vegetable oil (I use canola oil)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 can 16oz pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 cup pecans, chopped Optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease and flour two 9x5in loaf pans. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and oil.
- Add eggs, 1 at a time. Mix after each addition.
- Stir in pumpkin puree and vanilla extract.
- In another bowl, combine all dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices) and mix.
- Add about ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and begin to mix. Add part of the water. Mix. Continue alternating dry ingredients and water until fully combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir in pecans, if using.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. Place in a preheated oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10min, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes; remove and cool on a wire rack.
- Pumpkin Bread will freeze well, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in a freezer bag, for up to 3mo. To thaw, simply set out at room temperature. Yield: About 18, 1-in slices. (9 slices per pan)
Notes
Looking for More Pumpkin Ideas?
This Pumpkin Bread would be DELICIOUS with my favorite Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Oat Bites with Spiced Maple Glaze
