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A slice of pumpkin bread in front of a window.

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
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
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
  

  • 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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