How to make a simple and satisfying loaf of spiced pumpkin bread!
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If you are even somewhat of a frequent baker, or even if you just bake occasionally from time to time, you’ve probably tried your hand at making a sweet bread, like banana bread, at some point. The comforting flavors of sweet baked bread always seem so cozy and inviting from the very first bite, which usually makes them the ultimate comfort food! With the chilly autumn air settling in, I started thinking about those comforting sweetbreads and wanted to add a little extra autumn flair, and thus made a mouthwatering loaf of Pumpkin Bread!
If you’ve never tried making your own sweet bread before, let me assure you that it’s actually easier than it sounds. Ever baked a cake or batch of cupcakes? If so, then making this autumn recipe will be like a walk in the park! You won’t need any special equipment or fancy ingredients to whip up this easy pumpkin bread, mostly just what you probably have in your kitchen already, along with a handful of pumpkin-y flavors. Ready to get autumn started with an easy comfort food recipe? Then let’s bake this bread!
Pumpkin Bread Equipment
First, let’s go over the equipment. As promised, you won’t need anything complicated to whip up this sweet pumpkin bread. You will just need a few common baking tools and, of course, a loaf pan to get this pumpkin party started:
Sweet and Simple Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
If you’re familiar with baking sweet treats then you probably know what to expect here. This recipe consists of the usual baking ingredients, just with a few extra ones to bring in those delightful pumpkin flavors.
Pumpkin Bread Ingredients:
- 1 cup cake flour or all-purpose flour
- ¾ cups sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking Powder
- 3 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ can Pumpkin Puree - 15 oz. can
- 1 egg - beaten
- 1 ½ stick unsalted butter - melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening - this is for greasing the loaf pan
Ingredient Substitutions and Tips:
- I prefer to use cake flour instead of all-purpose in my baking recipes because it makes the final texture and moisture of the baked goods turn out way better!
- I also prefer to use my own homemade blend of Pumpkin Pie Spice for my autumn recipes but you can swap this out for a store-bought blend for extra ease or save a little bit of prep time.
- Want perfectly melted butter for your recipe? Here is my simple guide on How to Melt Butter quickly.
How to Make Simply Satisfying Pumpkin Bread
Now let’s get down to baking this sweet bread. This is a delightfully easy recipe process for master bakers and beginners alike! Just keep an eye out for any special instructions or side notes that I’ve included in the process breakdown so you can easily conjure up comforting autumn success. So, without any further introduction, here’s how to make your own delightful pumpkin bread:
- First, preheat the oven to 325°F and measure out all of the ingredients.
- Next, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a glass mixing bowl.
- Then, in another separate large glass mixing bowl, use the blending whisk to combine the pumpkin puree, beaten egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until completely combined.
- Next, slowly pour half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredient mixture and mix well.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and whisk the mixture well until all of the ingredients are completely combined.
- Next, completely coat the inside of the bread pan with the vegetable shortening. Make sure to get all of the sides and corners.
- I like to protect my hands from getting greasy in this step by covering up with some disposable food-friendly gloves.
- Then, use a silicone spatula to scrape all of the pumpkin bread batter into the greased loaf pan and transfer to the preheated oven to bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out totally clean.
- Start checking the pumpkin bread after 50 minutes, you don’t want to overcook it.
- When it’s ready, pull the baked pumpkin bread out of the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, transfer the baked bread from the pan to a cooling rack.
- Finally, let the pumpkin bread completely cool for about 1-2 hours before cutting into it.
- If you don’t let the bread cool completely then it will turn out doughy and chunky when you go to cut into it.
Storing Pumpkin Bread
To store pumpkin bread, first make sure the bread is completely cooled, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Pumpkin bread can be stored at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. For longer storage, after the 3-day mark, transfer the wrapped Pumpkin Bread to the refrigerator to prolong its shelf life for up to 7 days. Always mark the date on the outside of the wrapping to keep up with freshness.
Pumpkin recipes
- Moist Pumpkin Bread with Crunchy Pecans and Glaze
- Easy Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Drizzle
- Fluffy Pumpkin Cupcakes with Silky Italian Buttercream Frosting
- How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice with Just 5 Ingredients
- How to Make Pumpkin Spice Fudge with Crushed Pecans
- Easy Pumpkin Pie Mug Cake in Just 5 Minutes
To freeze pumpkin bread, first make sure the bread is completely cooled, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then again in kitchen foil. Mark the date on the outside and store the wrapped pumpkin bread in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving again.
Pumpkin-y Autumn Recipes
Getting cozy already just from thinking about this inviting pumpkin-y comfort food? Why stop here? I’ve got a whole set of autumn recipes that will keep you cozy throughout the whole season and that will curb any pumpkin cravings that may come your way!
Some of my top favorite autumn recipes:
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Pumpkin Pie Mug Cake
- Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Toffee Glaze
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Toffee Glaze
Simple pumpkin bread
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cake Flour or all-purpose flour
- ¾ cups sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder
- 3 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ can Pumpkin Puree 15 oz can
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ stick unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable shortening for greasing loaf pan
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 325°F and measure out all of the ingredients.
- Next, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a glass mixing bowl.
- Then, in another separate large glass mixing bowl, use the blending whisk to combine the pumpkin puree, beaten egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until completely combined.
- Next, slowly pour half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredient mixture and mix well.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and whisk the mixture well until all of the ingredients are completely combined.
- Next, completely coat the inside of the bread pan with the vegetable shortening. Make sure to get all of the sides and corners.I like to protect my hands from getting greasy in this step by covering up with some disposable food-friendly gloves.
- Then, use a silicone spatula to scrape all of the pumpkin bread batter into the greased loaf pan and transfer to the preheated oven to bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out totally clean.Start checking the pumpkin bread after 50 minutes, you don’t want to overcook it.
- When it’s ready, pull the baked pumpkin bread out of the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, transfer the baked bread from the pan to a cooling rack.
- Finally, let the pumpkin bread completely cool for about 1-2 hours before cutting into it.If you don’t let the bread cool completely then it will turn out doughy and chunky when you go to cut into it.
Notes
- I prefer to use cake flour instead of all-purpose in my baking recipes because it makes the final texture and moisture of the baked goods turn out way better!
- I also prefer to use my own homemade blend of Pumpkin Pie Spice for my autumn recipes but you can swap this out for a store-bought blend for extra ease or save a little bit of prep time.
Food Photography & Video Tips from My Studio
Here’s a peek at the tools, gear, and camera setups I use to film my recipe videos and photograph food at home. Over the years, I’ve tested dozens of different setups, and now I’m sharing what actually works for me—whether I’m filming overhead shots for YouTube or styling still photos for my blog. If you’re curious about how I create the content you see here, these posts are a great place to start.
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