Looking for the recipe for that Perfect Pumpkin Bread that is moist, not overwhelmingly spiced and has the right flavors? Look no further, because I did the job so you don’t have to worry – I tested 4 pumpkin bread recipes with my own tweaks until I settled on the variation you see here! Meet my no-fail, multiple-times-tested recipe for pumpkin bread to yield amazing results. Every. Time. Yes!
Let me tell you about my pumpkin bread recipe testing adventure. My first try gave me an overly spiced and dark bread, where pumpkin was in disguise both in terms of flavor and color.
In my second attempt, I decided to use more than 1 cup of pumpkin puree in the batter to give pumpkin a chance to shine. I ended up with an overly doughy, heavy-textured bread that I could not eat.
This led me to my third attempt, in which I decided to try turmeric in the batter, to color my homemade pumpkin puree so that the bread comes out golden. (Homemade pumpkin puree has a yellow hint while canned pumpkin is more orange-y and yields a brighter colored bread). It was not a good idea. While turmeric hued the bread nicely, it did not go quite well with other spices and ingredients.
In my final attempt, I decreased the amount of spices and decided to stick to 1 cup of pumpkin puree. This did it! The spices were just right. The color of the baked bread was bright and the flavors were subtle. This time, I also used oil instead of butter – what a difference this made! My pumpkin bread turned out so moist yet light and not at all soggy or heavy. I was elated. I still am because now I can share the recipe with all of you.
You know what else is amazing about this recipe? The pumpkin bread remains fresh and moist for as long as 5 days (yes, I tested that too!), when stored properly at room temperature (details in the recipe)! Please try the recipe with confidence. This will make me so happy.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE PERFECT PUMPKIN BREAD:
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
- ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (I use homemade but canned works, too)
- ½ cup olive olive (choose a neutral-flavored variety; no extra-virgin!)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional but recommended; can substitute walnuts)
- Generous pinch of raw pumpkin seeds
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Butter a 9x5x3-inch loaf dish and set aside.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all the spices. Set aside.
- Prepare Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, using a balloon whisk, lightly stir the eggs (no beating!). Add the sugar and whisk again. Add the pumpkin puree, olive oil, water, and vanilla extract. Stir to blend the ingredients.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir to combine. Do not beat!
- Fold in the pecans.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf dish and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour, until a wooden stick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the edges of the bread and invert it onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.
- To store, place in a large Ziploc bag or wrap in plastic - in this way the bread will remain fresh and moist for as long as 5 days at room temperature.
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