
Pumpkin Bread
A good pumpkin recipe starts with the season of the pumpkin.
I used canned pumpkin here but you can certainly use fresh. Remember though that pie pumpkins are the smaller pumpkins we all use to decorate our home. Canned pumpkin does so much better in recipes.
This bread is stuffed with the goodness of dried fruit and nuts. If you are a “vanilla” type of baker this recipe is still great. Enjoy!
It comes together quickly and is folate free for those like us that are folic acid restricted. Just make sure the wheat flour is not enriched.
The addition of nuts, raisins and cloves make this bread a hit on the table.
Most of my extended family are surprised at the subtle difference in flavor.
And of course the nuts and raisins add a nice texture and a bit of moisture. The bread isn’t heavy. But be careful not to over mix or it will.
These are the INGREDIENTS you will need:
- 1 can 15 ounces pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) SAVE
- 1 2/3 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose or whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts
- 1/2 cup raisins if desired
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
These are the INSTRUCTIONS for preparation:
- Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2×4 1/2×2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan 9x5x3 inches, with shortening.
- Stir together pumpkin, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pans.
- Bake 8-inch loaves 50 to 60 minutes, 9-inch loaf 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing.
- Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.
NOTES:
- There is a significant difference between an 8-inch versus a 9-inch loaf pan. The volume each holds will affect how much batter is needed and how high a bread will be. A large 9×5-inch loaf pan will hold nearly double the amount of batter that an 8×4-inch pan will.
- Greasing just the bottoms of the loaf pans helps the batter rise up evenly, forming a loaf with gently rounded tops rather than creating ridges along the edges.
- To ensure success in this recipe, use canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix). Canned pumpkin is not only convenient but provides consistent texture when used in baking.
- Go ahead and leave the raisins out if you don’t like them. The bread will still be delicious!
- Swap in bits of dried fruit (cranberries or cherries) or mini chocolate chips for the raisins and nuts or in tandem with them (try chopped cashews with mini chocolate chips or walnuts with dried cherries). Be sure to use the same amount of the ingredient being replaced.
My granddaughter was 5 years old when she assisted me in greasing the pans and mixing the dough.
I remember she wanted to help but she was put off getting her hands “dirty” which was not a feeling she appreciated.
She quickly bounced out of the kitchen and didn’t come back until it was time to free the bread from the pan.
And even then she was leery of what might lie ahead. She was a hoot.
I learned that if she was going to help in the kitchen that measuring and getting out what was needed better suited her.
I am confident though that these little tasks won’t stop you from making your own Pumpkin Bread
Whether you get your pumpkin from a can or cut up and cook a fresh one, the taste of the bread will be something you won’t soon forget.
It also travels easily to donate at a bake sale or add to a gift basket.
Sharing your homemade baked good is a win win. The giver and receiver both feel a sense of being thought of.
We need more of that at the Holiday!
Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 can 15 ounces pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 1-2/3 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts, optional
- 1/2 cup raisins, optional
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2×4 1/2×2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan 9x5x3 inches, with shortening.
- Stir together pumpkin, sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pans.
- Bake 8-inch loaves 50 to 60 minutes, 9-inch loaf 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing.
- Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.
Notes
- There is a significant difference between an 8-inch versus a 9-inch loaf pan. The volume each holds will affect how much batter is needed and how high a bread will be. A large 9×5-inch loaf pan will hold nearly double the amount of batter that an 8×4-inch pan will.
- Greasing just the bottoms of the loaf pans helps the batter rise up evenly, forming a loaf with gently rounded tops rather than creating ridges along the edges.
- To ensure success in this recipe, use canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix). Canned pumpkin is not only convenient but provides consistent texture when used in baking.
- Go ahead and leave the raisins out if you don’t like them. The bread will still be delicious!
- Swap in bits of dried fruit (cranberries or cherries) or mini chocolate chips for the raisins and nuts or in tandem with them (try chopped cashews with mini chocolate chips or walnuts with dried cherries). Be sure to use the same amount of the ingredient being replaced.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.
Conversion Information We get a lot of requests to help with conversions especially between various countries like Canada, the U.K. and Australia. These tables should help you make those conversions. For your convenience we have included a Conversion Chart.
Disclaimer Unless indicated recipes influenced by cookbooks, magazines or family traditions.
Love pumpkin bread season :). Thank you for sharing at last week’s RTT Party. Hope to see you this week:
Thank you Jodie. We love pumpkin bread too!
I LOVE pumpkin bread. Really the combination of pumpkin and cinnamon is such a winner in my book! I want to add this to my fall baking list. Thank you for sharing with us #LiveLifeWell.
Pumpkin anything reminds me of my mom. She used to prepare a type of pumkin puree in the pressure cooker and blender when I was a kid and it became a special treat. My mom never could cook. Anything! But her pumpkin was always something we looked forward to. Enjoy your week Jessica!
So funny that your mom couldn’t cook, but it is your passion. Lol! Also, what a great memory of the pumpkin with your mom!
I think I cook just because she couldn’t. She had dinner on the table everyday, but her meals weren’t edible. She started dinner at 4 and cooked it until my dad came home. Many times it was after 10pm as he did his thing with friends. We didn’t eat until he sat down at the table. There were many nights we were pulled out of bed to eat dinner. LOL. Her answer was how important it was to eat a warm meal as a family. How much more we know today than in those days. My grandma, on the other hand was a great cook!!
Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great week!
Miz Helen
Thank you for hosting Full Plate every week Miz Helen. Have a great week.
Thanks so much for this! I finally have my oven and I am so excited to get to work on some of your amazing recipes!!
Thanks for linking up @LiveLifeWell!
Blessings,
Amy
I am so glad Amy!! You have waited forever for that oven. I don’t know how you lives without it. Thank you for being so kind to like my recipes. Enjoy your weekend!
Pumpkin bread is so yummy! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Thank you Jann. I think so too!
I just love pumpkin bread and your recipe sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing at Party In Your PJs!
Thank you Ann. I really enjoy this pumpkin bread too. Have a great week.
I love anything pumpkin and I can’t wait to try this Marilyn 🙂 I know it will be delicious! Thanks for sharing on To Grandma’s House We Go!
Thank you Chas. We enjoyed this pumpkin bread with a great cup of coffee. Miss J however preferred milk. LOL. Enjoy! Have a good evening.
Pumpkins everywhere! I love it – Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party! Have a wonderful week and hope to see you at next week’s party too!
thank you Helen for visiting my Pumpkin Bread! Enjoy your Sunday!
‘Tis the season!
It sure is Michele I have way mnorefall recipes than there is actual Fall!! Enjoy your evening!
We love pumpkin bread. Some of us prefer chocolate chips in it and some of us prefer raisins. Whichever, this bread sounds great.
I have tried the chocolate chips and love it!! Thanks for the raisin idea. Enjoy your evening!
pumpkin…gooooood, bread…goooood… Yes please xo
You crack me up. Thanks Katherine. Have a wonderful week!
Thank you for sharing on Whisk It Wednesday Link Party! Have a wonderful week and see you again soon!
Carrie
Thank you for letting me share at Whisk it Wednesday Carrie. Enjoy a restful week.
Marilyn, I’m looking for a new sweet bread to bake, and I believe this is it! Now, I’m not a cook at all, but I do make sweet breads for gifts, and for us, of course. Can’t wait to try this one! Pinned
I think you will like this one Florence. Sweet breads are all I make. I think the bakery does a better job than I do on the others. LOL. Have a great week!
I must try some pumpkin bread it looks great Marilyn
Thanks Amber! Have a good evening.
I have never heard of pumpkin bread before. I can imagine the flavors and how well they go together! Thank you for bringing this to Fiesta Friday! 🙂
You are welcome Petra. The flavors remind me of Fall. Have a great weekend.
I never had pumpkin bread, but it sounds delish! Thanks for sharing and happy Fiesta Friday!
If you like banana bread this is the same exceot for the pumpkin anyway! Have a good weekend!
Who doesn’t like a slice of fresh pumpkin bread? Thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!
I agree they are delicious with soft butter when warm! Have a great week!
I love making Pumpkin Bread it’s like the introduction to the fall season. Your recipe looks moist and delicious and one we will really enjoy! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with Full Plate Thursday. Have a great weekend and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
I look forward to Pumpkin bread as an alternative to banana and zuchinni breads in our home. Have a great week!
Hi Marilyn, I had no idea that there were different pumpkins! They aren’t something we really see here, although on the mainland we’ve seen sellers at the side of the road selling them in autumn. I love the spices in the recipe, proper warming spices.
Thank you for linking up with the #MMBC.
xx
They are very good and you can use them for all sorts of dishes. The smaller pie pumkins are sweeter and have softer meat inside. The larger ones are more tubeerous but yield many more seeds whcich are tasty baked and salt added! Have a great week!
This looks amazing! I’m going to use gluten free flour and make this recipe! Thank you for getting me in the mood for fall!
I bet this will be great with Gluten Free flour. Let me know how it turns out. Have a great week!
I am not a lover of pumpkin, but I do like pumpkin bread. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
I can understand that! I don’t like zucchini but love zucchini bread! Strange, eh? Enjoy your week!
This sounds amazing!! 🙂 YUM! Pinned!
I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Thanks for the pin Jess. Have a great day.
I love pumpkin season! I’ve never had pumpkin bread so it’s one for me to try!
Lianne | Makes, Bakes and Decor
Oh wow Lianne. You have just been introduced into the life of great breads! Have a great week!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It looks delicious and I look forward to trying it out this fall!
Thank you Robin. I am glad I could give some inspiration. Have a great week!
That looks delicious! We just started the Whisk It Wednesday link party and I thought you might be interested in sharing there too! Thanks, Carrie
Thanks for the invite Carrie. I left a long comment on your party. Have a great week!
Looks yummy! And I love finding recipes that are simple and don’t call for too many ingredients!
Thanks Melinda. I love recipes that are simple too. The ones I make regularly are all fast and delious. Have a great day!
One of my alltime faves. Over from WW hop…pinning this one, thanks!
Thx Carol! The pin is appreciated! I am glad you find it inspiring! Have a great week!
Pumpkin bread is my favorite!
I pinned this & can’t wait to try it.
#happynowlinkup
I love pumpkin bread too! I couldn’t get a good shot without the kids hands on it! Thx for the pin . Have a good day!
Yum! Pumpkin bread! I tried anew recipe and baked 2 loaves this morning but mine had chocolate chips and walnuts. It was OK but maybe no walnuts if I make it again. Last weekend I made baked pumpkin donuts and had leftover glaze that I froze. Pulled it out today for my pumpkin loaves. And I still have more glaze back in the freezer! I’m always on the lookout for new recipes. Thanks for sharing.
I am so glad to hear all about your baking. I love to use pumpkin and will be making a pudding (more like a gravy than normal pudding) this week. I tried the chocolate chips in a banana bread but my hubs thought it was too sweet. I however loved it! Have a great week!
I love pumpkin bread – toasted with cream cheese! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for dinner party! Don’t forget to visit some of the other amazing posts at the party!
The cream cheese addition did it for me!! That sounds yummy Helen. Thanks for your thoughts! Have a wonderful week!
I used to make pumpkin bread every year but had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands six weeks apart shortly before holidays one year so couldn’t mix it. No didn’t have fancy mixer and still don’t. Haven’t made pumpkin bread since and that was 1979. Since your recipe looks so good will try it this year, family always loved pumpkin bread, so yummy.
Been finding few good baking recipes tonight, must be my year to make up for not baking much for while.
However – When I bake I eat and can’t wear my jeans, that doesn’t make me happy at all, lol. Will have to have Mr.Furry hide whatever I bake. Not fair but that’s life.
Happy Sunday
I had carpal tunnel when I worked at a desk job but fortunately only had to wear the brace. I can’t imagine doing that surgery. I have a fancy mixer, (finally), but got it after all the kids were gone and I no longer host all the holidays. It became an expensive dusty decoration so I put it in a lower cabinet. Now I am not strong enough to pull it out so I mainly beat by hand. LOL. Our secret. I hope you get to bake a bit again. I am trying to put up my healthier recipes and convert my decadent ones. I don’t bake enough anymore to get the recipes refined and take new pictures. Good luck and have some fun!! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Thanks for reply Marilyn.Now I can’t do much with arthritic hands and wrists, no strength and no feeling in fingertips plus pain from nerve damage from an accident in 1998, right arm was broken above elbow, arm broken all way thru bone, just hanging there. Mr. Furry rolled our Bronco, theythink I must have stuck my arm out window when truck rolled over on passenger side. Also messed up my shoulder,had to have it finally replaced in Dec. 2015. Such fun.
And getting older is heck on injuries. I am artritic and diabetic and I hear you. Good luck!
This looks and sounds amazing. Can hardly wait to bake one.
Thank you Ivory. Very moist and delicious. Enjoy your week!