Classic Pumpkin Bread

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This Classic Pumpkin Bread is everything a fall quick bread should be: deeply spiced, moist in the middle, and just a little crackly on top.

If you love this one, you'll probably also love my pumpkin banana bread muffins and my chocolate chunk banana bread; it has the same cozy, one-bowl energy with different flavors.

Why you'll love this recipe

• It's incredibly moist. The combination of pumpkin puree, oil, and sour cream keeps this loaf tender for days — it never dries out the way some pumpkin breads do.
• The spice blend is balanced, not overpowering. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves layer together instead of one flavor taking over, similar to the warmth I use in my chai sheet cake with espresso buttercream.
• It's genuinely simple. No mixer required — just two bowls, a whisk, and a spatula.
• It's easy to customize. Stir in chocolate chips, pecans, walnuts, or cinnamon chips, or leave it plain for a true classic, the same way I let bakers choose their own mix-ins in my spiced zucchini snack cake.
• It gets better on day two. The spices have time to bloom overnight, so don't be surprised if you like the leftovers even more than the first slice.

Ingredients You'll Need

• All-purpose flour – the structure of the loaf; measure by weight if you can.
• Baking soda and baking powder – working together for the right amount of lift without a gummy crumb.
• Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves – the classic warm-spice blend, similar to what I use in my sourdough pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies.
• Fine sea salt – balances the sweetness and sharpens the spices.
• Eggs – for structure and richness; use room temperature eggs so the batter comes together smoothly.
• Granulated sugar and light brown sugar – the brown sugar adds moisture and a little molasses depth.
• Pumpkin puree – not pumpkin pie filling; see the notes below.
• Neutral oil – keeps the crumb soft and moist for days, unlike a butter-based loaf.
• Sour cream – the secret to an especially tender, bakery-style crumb.
• Vanilla extract – rounds out the spices.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Classic Pumpkin Bread

Note: I bake by weight for accuracy. Cup measurements are approximate and may vary depending on how you scoop.

Step 1: Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.

Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, oil, sour cream, and vanilla, and whisk until completely combined.

Step 4: Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Don't overmix, or the loaf can turn dense — the same rule I follow in my sourdough discard carrot snack cake.

Step 5: Fill the pan. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. If desired, sprinkle the top with a little coarse sugar for a lightly crisp, bakery-style crust.

Step 6: Bake. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top is getting too dark before the center is done, loosely tent the loaf with foil during the final 15–20 minutes.

Step 7: Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then lift it out onto a wire rack. Let it cool completely before slicing for the cleanest slices.

Weigh your ingredients! Using a kitchen scale ensures your measurements are accurate, which is key for getting consistent results in baking. It takes the guesswork out of measuring and helps your recipes turn out exactly as intended every time.

Expert Tips

1. Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling — the pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, and it will make the loaf too soft and unbalanced.
2. Don't skip the sour cream. It's what keeps this loaf moist and tender instead of dense, the same way it does in my chocolate sour cream pound cake.
3. Oil over butter, here. Butter gives great flavor, but oil produces a softer, moister pumpkin bread that stays fresh longer.
4. Let it rest overnight if you can. The flavor is often even better on day two, once the spices have had time to meld.
5. Tent with foil if the top browns too fast. Pumpkin bread bakes low and slow enough that the top can darken well before the center sets.

What Makes This Recipe Special?

Pumpkin Bread FAQs

Pumpkin Bread Troubleshooting Guide

Storage

• Counter: Store the cooled loaf, wrapped tightly or in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerator: Keeps well for up to a week in an airtight container; let slices come to room temperature before serving.
• Freezer: Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the microwave in short bursts.

Classic Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Audrey Grubb

A moist, tender pumpkin quick bread with warm fall spices, made extra soft with pumpkin puree and sour cream. One bowl for the wet ingredients, one for the dry, and no mixer required.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 10 slices

Calories 339 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  9x5-inch loaf pan
• ▢
  Parchment Paper
• ▢
  Medium mixing bowl
• ▢
  Large mixing bowl
• ▢
  Whisk
• ▢
  Rubber spatula

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 225 g all-purpose flour 1 ¾ cups
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 200 g granulated sugar 1 cup
• ▢ 100 g light brown sugar packed (½ cup)
• ▢ 225 g pumpkin puree about 1 cup
• ▢ 120 g neutral oil ½ cup
• ▢ 60 g sour cream ¼ cup
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
• Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  225 g all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, oil, sour cream, and vanilla, and whisk until completely combined.
  2 large eggs, 200 g granulated sugar, 100 g light brown sugar, 225 g pumpkin puree, 120 g neutral oil, 60 g sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
• Fill the pan. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. If desired, sprinkle the top with a little coarse sugar for a lightly crisp, bakery-style crust.
• Bake. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top is getting too dark before the center is done, loosely tent the loaf with foil during the final 15–20 minutes.
• Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then lift it out and transfer it to a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely before slicing for the cleanest slices.

Notes

1. Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
2. The sour cream keeps the crumb especially moist and tender without making the loaf heavy.
3. Oil is recommended over melted butter here; it produces a softer, moister pumpkin bread that stays fresh longer.
4. For an even more pronounced pumpkin flavor, the loaf is often even better on the second day once the spices have had time to meld.
5. Optional add-ins: fold in up to 150 g (about 1 cup) of semisweet chocolate chips, chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, or cinnamon chips — or keep it completely plain for a true classic pumpkin bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 339kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 324mgPotassium: 108mgFiber: 1gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 3588IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 2mg

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