Pumpkin Bread

By Samantha Seneviratne

Updated Sept. 16, 2024

Pumpkin Bread
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Eugene Jho.
Total Time
1½ hours
Rating
4(3,757)
Comments
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Moist and tender, delicately flavored with pumpkin and cinnamon, this humble loaf needs no bells and whistles. If you want to go big, throw in more spices, like nutmeg and cloves, a hearty handful of chopped bittersweet chocolate or a tablespoon of orange zest. Stir in some chopped walnuts or pecans for added crunch, or scatter some pepitas or crushed gingersnaps over the top. My favorite adornment is a simple cream cheese glaze. Mix together four ounces of cream cheese, a couple tablespoons of warm milk, a tablespoon of confectioners’ sugar and a pinch of salt. Drizzle it over the cooled loaf.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 loaf (about 10 servings)
  • ½cup/120 milliliters vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 2¼cups/285 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1teaspoon baking powder
  • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¾teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½teaspoon baking soda
  • 1(15-ounce) can (about 2 cups) pumpkin purée 
  • 1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
  • ¾cup/165 grams packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 2large eggs
  • ¼cup/60 milliliters full-fat sour cream or plain yogurt
  • 1½teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

387 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 62 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 38 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 264 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 8½- or 9-inch loaf pan; line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.

  3. Step 3

    In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream and vanilla.

  4. Step 4

    Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until fully combined.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.

  6. Step 6

    Bake until the loaf is puffed and set, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 60 to 75 minutes. Transfer the bread, in the pan, to a rack to cool for 20 minutes.

  7. Step 7

    Use a paring knife to cut the two exposed sides of bread away from the pan, then use the parchment to transfer the cake to the rack. Let cool completely.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
3,757 user ratings
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Comments

Barrett

Delicious but this recipe definitely makes enough for two loaf pans. I’m surprised this doesn’t come up more in other comments! The first time I baked it, I faithfully used one loaf pan, wanting to trust the recipe even though it filled it to the rim. It of course expanded and exploded over the sides and made a huge mess. Also required extra baking time, so it burned on the top and remained gooey inside. Second time around I used two loaf pans and they turned out perfectly. So there you have it.

Susan Mahan

To this recipe, I add a tspn of nutmeg and a tspn of ground cloves. For flour, I sub in half Whole Wheat. I’ve been making this bread for decades, with 1 cup of chopped pecans if no nut allergies. Sliced, toasted, and slathered with Cream Cheese, it is the best comfort food!

Cheryl

Made this as directed and it was sweet, but I can see what the point of the loaf is - the focus is on the pumpkin/cinnamon, and not making it yet another loaf that essentially is pumpkin spice. I have my own issues with this ubiquitous fall taste but there are plenty of other recipes around; try to let this be what it is. If you're looking for a pumpkin spice loaf, this is not it. But if you're looking for a sweet pumpkin bread, lightly spiced with cinnamon, this will be your jam.

Cindy

Third time I made it in a Bundt pan and baked for 45 minutes. Was the right amount of batter and the outside didn’t get too dark. Otherwise too much batter for a loaf pan and had to cook so long the outside was too dark (burned) by the time it cooked through. With that change this is an excellent pumpkin bread.

Bruce Thompson

I cut the white and brown sugar in half. I added 1/2 cup of walnuts, 1/4 teaspoon of cloves and 2 tablespoons of crystallized ginger. I chopped up the walnuts and ginger separately in my food processor. I added a tablespoon of flour when chopped up the ginger so that the pieces didn’t stick together. The ginger added a little bit of zing to the baked bread. I topped the bread with cream cheese icing. I got a lot of compliments on it from other guests. I highly recommend it!!

cheryl

Love this. So moist and delicious. I like to add a few more pumpkin spices and chopped bittersweet chocolate chunks.

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