Pumpkin Bread

By Samantha Seneviratne

Updated September 15, 2024

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Eugene Jho.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
1½ hours
Rating
4(3,878)
Comments
Read comments

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.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:1 loaf (about 10 servings)

  • ½ cup/120 milliliters vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the pan

  • 2 ¼ cups/285 grams all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 (15-ounce) can (about 2 cups) pumpkin purée 

  • 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

  • ¾ cup/165 grams packed light or dark brown sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • ¼ cup/60 milliliters full-fat sour cream or plain yogurt

  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

62 grams carbs; 41 milligrams cholesterol; 387 calories; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 14 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 264 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 38 grams sugar

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.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 8 ½- 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.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
3,878 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

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.

S

to make this a bit healthier: Sub apple sauce for oil, sub monk fruit extract for sugar (1 tsp) oat and ww flour for ap, add dried cranberries and use pumpkin spice as well as nutmeg and cinnamon.

Janaki

Hi! Is there an easy non-dairy substitute for the yogurt or sour cream?

S

there is dairy free yogurt- coconut I believe at Whole Foods

Valerie

I read that you were supposed to cook it close to an hour....but mine were almost burning by 45 minutes!

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.