Description
This rich and buttery pumpkin bread is a moist, flavorful treat perfect for fall or any time you crave a comforting baked good. Made with real pumpkin puree and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, this easy-to-make bread is baked to perfection, resulting in a tender crumb and a slightly sweet taste. It’s ideal for breakfast, snack time, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (or ⅛ teaspoon table salt)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie puree, just plain pumpkin puree)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup warm milk (heated for about 30 seconds in microwave)
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a round cake pan or loaf pan by coating it evenly with butter and a light dusting of flour or by lining it with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a separate large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on high speed to cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well to fully incorporate them into the butter and sugar mixture.
- Incorporate pumpkin and vanilla: Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract to the wet mixture and mix thoroughly until combined.
- Add dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mix to the wet ingredients, folding gently by hand until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Add warm milk: Pour in the warm milk and mix well into the batter, ensuring a smooth consistency.
- Pour and bake: Pour the batter into your prepared pan. If using a cake pan, bake for 45-50 minutes; if using a loaf pan, place it on a sheet tray and bake for 50-55 minutes. Oven temperatures vary, so bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the bread: Remove the pumpkin bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then carefully run a knife around the edges, invert the bread onto a plate, and let it cool an additional 15 minutes before slicing.
- Serve: Enjoy your moist, flavorful pumpkin bread plain or with your favorite spread.
Notes
- Make sure to use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to avoid extra spices or sweeteners in the bread.
- Do not over-bake; a few crumbs on the toothpick when testing are okay as the bread will continue cooking slightly as it cools.
- Room temperature eggs help the batter mix better and produce a tender crumb.
- Using a sheet tray under a loaf pan prevents batter leaks in the oven.
- Allow the bread to cool properly before slicing to keep slices intact and moist.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of loaf)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
