Pumpkin bread is a simple, quick bread made with pantry staples and real pumpkin. It mixes in minutes and bakes into a moist, tender loaf that slices clean without a gummy line. This version emphasizes pumpkin flavor, clean technique, and precise doneness, enabling anyone to make it at home with confidence.
It uses an oil-based batter for a soft crumb that stays fresh for longer. It's delicious when made with either fresh pumpkin purée or store-bought canned pumpkin purée.
This pumpkin bread is spice-free, but adding spices or even chocolate chips is a simple adjustment I've included in this recipe. I'll also show you how to adjust it for dietary requirements, as well as make high-altitude baking adjustments.
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Ingredients
- Pumpkin purée - Homemade pumpkin purée is way better than store-bought. If you're short on time, though, Libby's pumpkin purée is a great brand to use instead.
- Flour - All-purpose or cake flour because of the finer mill and lower gluten content.
- Oil - You can use any flavourless oil you prefer. I used rapeseed oil, but you can also use avocado oil, coconut oil, or ghee (clarified butter).
- Sugar - Brown sugar works best for flavor, but plain white sugar is also fine.
- Baking powder and baking soda - The recipe uses both.
- Salt - Fine sea salt.
Instructions
- Add pumpkin purée, sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla to a mixing bowl.
- Whisk until perfectly smooth and evenly mixed.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the wet mix.
- Fold until no dry pockets remain. Do not overmix.
- Check batter. It should be thick and glossy. If using fresh purée, let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Line a 9×5 in (23×13 cm) metal loaf pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it. Set the rack in the middle. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Weigh the batter into the pan (approximately 900 g for an 8.5×4.5 in pan or 1,000 g for a 9×5 in pan). Level the top.
- Bake 45-65 minutes. Start checks at 45. Done at 205-208°F (96-98°C) in the center and at least 199°F (93°C) just under the top crack. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then entirely on a wire rack.
Watch how to make it
Tips for success
- Weigh everything. Use a scale. Aim for 900 g batter in an 8.5×4.5 in pan or ~1,000 g in a 9×5 in pan.
- Control pumpkin moisture. Strain fresh purée to canned thickness. Batter should be thick, glossy, and slow-flowing. If loose, rest 5 minutes before baking.
- Mix just until combined. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet and stop when no flour pockets remain. Overmixing toughens quick breads.
- Bake to temperature, not time. Target 205-208°F (96-98°C) in the center and ≥199°F (93°C) just under the top crack. Tent with foil if the top darkens early.
- Use the right pan and an accurate oven. Prefer light-colored metal. Middle rack. Verify oven temp with a thermometer.
High altitude
For 5,000-7,000 ft:
- Oven: 365-375°F (185-190°C).
- Baking powder: 6 g (from 8 g). Keep baking soda at 3 g.
- Sugar: 200-210 g (reduce 10-20 g).
- Extra liquid: 10-20 g milk or pumpkin purée.
- Start checks 5 minutes earlier. Total time may be slightly shorter.
- Cool in the pan 15 minutes before moving to a rack. Standard good practice.
High altitude speeds, leavening, and evaporation. Proven fixes include a higher oven temperature, less leavening agent, slightly less sugar, and a bit more liquid.
Variations
- Starbucks-style - Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, top with raw pumpkin seeds, and bake in an 8.5×4.5 in pan for a taller crown.
- Chocolate chip - Fold in 80 grams of dark chocolate. Reduce sugar by half.
- Maple whole-wheat - Replace 30% of flour with whole-wheat pastry flour and swap 60 grams of sugar for 60 grams of maple syrup. Extend baking time to 5-10 minutes.
- Orange - Add zest of 1 orange and 1 tablespoon orange juice.
- Chai - Add 1 teaspoon finely ground chai spice.
- Pumpkin muffins - The same batter can be used to bake muffins in a muffin tin.
- Spice - Add pumpkin pie spice or make your own mix by using ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
Substitutions
- Oil vs butter - Oil keeps the crumb softer for longer. Butter gives a denser crumb but a richer flavor. Use the same weight and add it when the butter is melted, but not hot.
- Gluten-free - Use a 1:1 baking blend by weight. Add 3 grams of psyllium husk for extra stability and a clean cut.
- Dairy-free - Already dairy-free if using oil.
- Sugar - You can omit the sugar from this recipe to reduce the calories and make it a slightly healthier option.
- Eggs - For each egg, use an additional 50 grams of pumpkin purée, plus 3 grams of ground flax mixed with 30 grams of water. The texture will be denser.
Serving suggestions
- Plain, slightly warm, with cultured butter or cream cheese, or this pumpkin cream cheese spread.
- Toast thick slices in a skillet with butter, and finish with honey and a dollop of clotted cream.
- Top with lightly sweetened mascarpone and a sprinkle of fresh orange zest.
Frequently asked questions
Use the correct pan grams, avoid overmixing, and bake to 205-208°F in the center, with a second check under the top crack at ≥199°F. Cool to 95°F before slicing.
Too much leavener, underbaked center, or purée that's too wet. Verify the weights of baking powder and soda, and strain fresh purée if the pumpkin is watery. Confirm the internal temperature before removing the dish from the oven.
Yes. Use 425 grams of purée and add a teaspoon of flour.
Metal sets faster and browns better. Glass sets slower. Add 5-10 minutes to the baking time and observe the top color.
At room temperature, wrap the uncut loaf and store 2-3 days. Once sliced, wrap the cut face and store 1-2 days. For longer storage, wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
Useful equipment
Loaf Pan
Countertop Oven
Temperature Probe
Electronic Kitchen Scales
Related recipes
- Pumpkin cake - Packed with pumpkin in all forms and based on my famous carrot cake recipe.
- Roasted Pumpkin Salad - Perfect for autumn lunches and light dinners.
- Cream cheese pumpkin spread - Used in my pumpkin cake recipe, but just as delicious on this pumpkin bread.
- Easy way to use up pumpkin trim - Be mindful, resourceful, and clever. Every little helps to make the world a better place.
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Recipe
Easy Pumpkin Bread With Fresh Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 250 g (2 cups) all purpose flour
- 12 g (3 teaspoon) baking powder
- 4 g (1 teaspoon) baking soda
- 180 g (⅘ cups) canola oil
- 125 g (½ cups) brown sugar
- 3 (3) large eggs
- 400 g (1 ½ cups) pumpkin puree
- 2 g (⅓ teaspoon) salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C or 338°F. Line a 9×5 inch pan with greased parchment paper. I use both because it never sticks.
- Mix the wet ingredients until homogenous.
- Sieve all the dry ingredients through a fine-mesh strainer or drum sieve, and fold it into the wet ingredients until you have an evenly distributed smooth batter. Don't over-mix it.
- Pour the mix into the lined baking pan and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes or until a kitchen thermometer reads 90°C or 194°F when stuck into the center of the bread. Alternatively, it's cooked when a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Let it cool down slightly before carefully removing it from the baking form and cooling down completely on a wire rack. Only slice when cooled down completely.
Video
Notes
Freeze. Wrap airtight. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw wrapped at room temperature. Make ahead — Bake and cool. Wrap and hold one day at room temperature before slicing. Texture improves on day two. Top tips
- Use grams for accuracy. Cups vary.
- Strain the fresh pumpkin purée if it was made from a watery pumpkin. It should have the same consistency as canned purée.
- Mix just until combined. Overmixing toughens quick breads, and result in tense heavy crumb.
- Verify the oven with a thermometer. The middle rack usually gives an even bake.
- Oven: 365-375°F (185-190°C).
- Baking powder: 6 g (from 8 g). Keep baking soda at 3 g.
- Sugar: 200-210 g (reduce 10-20 g).
- Extra liquid: 10-20 g milk or pumpkin purée.
- Start checks 5 minutes earlier. Total time may be slightly shorter.
Gwen says
The easiest and best tasting pumpkin bread recipe EVER!!x
kaylee says
This is the first time I've every made my own puree, and the first pumpkin anything I've ever made that doesn't contain any/all of the classic pumpkin pie spices. And it's amazing. Thank you for the delicious and simple recipe! Love it with the pumpkin cream cheese spread as suggested.
Charlé says
Kaylee, Awesome! Glad you liked it and went all the way with makng your own pumpkin puree and cream cheese spread.Agree! So much better and more pumpkiny without all the added spices.
Nikki says
I added roasted pumpkin seeds and it came out super good. Perfect balance and clear pumpkin flavour. I made the pumpkin puree fresh like you suggested, Cooked it skin on and it was out of this world. Never knew you could keep the skin... It added tons of colour and flavour in my opinion! Thanks for sharing all your knowledge !
Anne Jefferson says
Absolutely stunning pumpkin bread recipe. Love the whole “no spices” thing. Tastes purely of pumpkin! Especially with the homemade pumpkin puree. Never knew pumpkin bread could taste this amazing. It’s so simple to make and then you end up with such a beautiful pumpkin loaf. Ps. Adore the balance of sweetness. Just perfect. xxx
Kate says
Made this yesterday. Two things I love!!! Has no spices! Soooo over pumpkin spiced recipes and this pumpkin bread actually tastes like pumpkin because of that. It’s deliciously moist and tender. Made the pumpkin cream cheese spread also and it’s just out-of-this-world perfect.