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Pumpkin Bread is a sweet quick bread that is easy to make and extra moist. It is a favorite fall recipe packed with pumpkin spice and topped with a powdered sugar glaze and crunchy pepitas. Even better than Starbucks!
Meggan’s notes
As a classically trained chef with plenty of bread and cake-baking under my belt, I know how to create a recipe that will give you success every time you make it. This Pumpkin Bread is no exception. In culinary school, we spent a lot of time perfecting “the muffin method” for quick bread recipes just like this one. I hope this recipe becomes a staple in your home like it has in mine.
Be sure to use pumpkin puree and not filling, as pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices. The recipe calls for pumpkin spice, but if you prefer to make your own it is very simple, just peek at the recipe notes!
The topping is inspired by the pumpkin loaf at Starbucks. I’ve created a simple powdered sugar glaze with pepitas sprinkled over the top, which offers a nice crunchy contrast to the soft spiced bread.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Pumpkin pie spice: Purchase this pre-mixed, or to make homemade pumpkin pie spice, in a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice, and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves. Transfer to a small airtight container and store in a dark place for up to 6 months.
- Pumpkin purée: Good ol’ unadorned roasted pumpkin purée is what you’re after, no pumpkin pie filling. Buy a 15-ounce canned pumpkin puree that can be found in the baking aisle, or if you’re feeling ambitious, make your own Fresh Pumpkin Purée.
Step-by-step instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two (2) 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together sugar, pumpkin, oil, and eggs and mix well. Add dry ingredients in 3 batches, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides as necessary.
- Divide batter between the two loaf pans and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, rotating pans after 30 minutes through, and checking for doneness after 1 hour.
- Cool 15 minutes in the loaf pans on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Slide a knife around the inside of the loaf pan to loosen the bread and flip out onto the wire rack. Remove parchment paper and cool loaves completely. Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Whisk in the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until slightly thick and smooth.
- Pour glaze over the top of the cooled loaves so any excess glaze drips through the wire rack and onto the baking sheet. Garnish loaves with pepitas and allow glaze to cool and harden, about 30 minutes.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe yields 2 loaves, about 12 slices per loaf depending on how you slice it, or 24 slices total.
- Storage: Store Pumpkin Bread at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
- Make ahead: This recipe is best made all at once, however, if you are making the pumpkin pie spice or pumpkin purée from scratch, feel free to prepare these ahead of time.
- Freezer: Wrap the cooled Pumpkin Bread in 2 layers of plastic, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
This pumpkin loaf is a quick bread, meaning it relies on baking soda and baking powder to rise as opposed to yeast.
The toothpick method works great for this! When a toothpick comes out clean, then your loaf is done.
This usually happens when the bread is cooked for too long. All ovens are different, so be sure to check the bread periodically as it nears the end of baking time.
This is the result of stale leavening agents (baking powder or baking soda), or simply not using enough of them. Remember to check expiration dates before baking!
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Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see note 1)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling, see note 2)
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
For the glaze and pepitas topping:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or water
- 1/2 cup raw pepitas
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two (2) 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pans with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together sugar, pumpkin, oil, and eggs and mix well. Add dry ingredients in 3 batches, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides as necessary.
- Divide batter between the two loaf pans and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, rotating pans after 30 minutes through and checking for doneness after 1 hour.
- Cool 15 minutes in the loaf pans on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Slide a knife around the inside of the loaf pan to loosen the bread and flip out onto the wire rack. Remove parchment paper and cool loaves completely.
- Meanwhile, combine powdered sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Whisk in the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until slightly thick and smooth.
- Pour glaze over the top of the cooled loaves so any excess glaze drips through the wire rack and onto the baking sheet. Garnish loaves with pepitas and allow glaze to cool and harden, about 30 minutes.
Notes
- Pumpkin pie spice: Purchase this pre-mixed, or to make homemade pumpkin pie spice, in a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice, and 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves. Transfer to a small airtight container and store in a dark place for up to 6 months.
- Pumpkin purée: Good ol’ unadorned roasted pumpkin purée is what you’re after, no pumpkin pie filling. Buy a 15-ounce canned pumpkin puree that can be found in the baking aisle, or if you’re feeling ambitious, make your own Fresh Pumpkin Purée.
- Yield: This recipe yields 2 loaves, about 12 slices per loaf depending on how you slice it, or 24 slices total.
- Storage: Store Pumpkin Bread at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
EVERYONE LOVED THIS PUMPKIN BREAD
I HAVER ONE OTHER COMMENT, I KEEP ALL YOUR RECIPES IN A BINDER WHICH MEANS I PRINT THEM, BUT I HAVE NOTICED THAT YOUR RECIPE TIPS AND VARIATIONS ARE NOT INCLUED IN THE PRINT VERSION. IF POSSIBLE
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT ADDED SO I DON’T HAVE TO WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN. THANK YOU
You’re welcome, Carroll. So glad everyone loved it! And sorry about that! – Meggan