With Fall around the corner there’s nothing better than baking a warm, comforting treat. Moist Pumpkin Bread is the perfect choice! With its deep pumpkin flavor, cozy spices and moist texture, it’s a dessert that works for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.
Let’s dive into what makes this Moist Pumpkin Bread recipe so special!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Super Moist: The key to making a dessert bread is ensuring it’s moist, and this recipe nails it. I use a little trick to help lock in the moisture, keeping your bread soft for days.
- Full of Fall Flavors: Cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice blend perfectly with the pumpkin puree to create a classic Fall taste.
- Easy to Make: This recipe does not require any special equipment and minimal prep time, making it easy for bakers at all levels.
- Versatile: You can customize it with add-ins like chocolate chips, nuts and dried fruit.
- Maple Cinnamon Butter: This butter combination only enhances this amazing moist pumpkin bread. I think you will really enjoy this simple addition to an already delicious treat!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Pumpkin Puree: The star ingredient! Make sure to use puree and not filling.
- All purpose flour: AP flour works best, but if you would like to try whole wheat or gluten free, go ahead!
- Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar: The combination of sugars gives the bread sweetness and a slight rich caramel flavor
- Oil: Vegetable oil is what helps keep the bread moist. You can experiment with other oils like coconut oil or avocado oil.
- Eggs: These help bind the ingredients and give the bread structure.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These leavening agents help the bread rise perfectly.
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Pumpkin Pie Spice: This blend of spices help give the bread that signature pumpkin flavor.
- Salt: The salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor.
- Water: Water helps thin out the batter but also ensures it stays moist.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla helps gives the bread a warm aroma and flavor.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup pairs so well with the pumpkin flavor and sweetens up the butter perfectly!
- Butter: Butter helps make the bread even more indulgent when slathered on a thick piece!
Tips for Making the Perfect Moist Pumpkin Bread:
- Don’t overmix: You want to avoid overmixing the batter. Once you add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, slowly mix just until incorporated. Overmixing can cause the bread to become too dense.
- Use Fresh Spices: Pumpkin bread relies heavily on spices to create flavor, so make sure you are using non-expired spices to ensure great flavor!
- Use Oil: Although butter offers more flavor, oil is better to keep the pumpkin bread moist.
- Let It Cool Completely: Letting the bread cool completely, will give you cleaner slices and a better texture.
- Prepare Ingredients Before Baking: When making any recipe, preparing your ingredients will ensure you don’t forget anything or make a mistake.
- Use plastic wrap or aluminum foil: Place a piece of plastic wrap or aluminum foil over the bread as it cools. If using plastic wrap, wait until the bread has cooled a bit otherwise it will melt. This helps lock in moisture.
Variation and Add-ins:
- Chocolate chips: A cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips will add additional texture and flavor to the pumpkin.
- Nuts: Pecans or walnuts add a crunchy bite.
- Cranberries: Dried cranberries or cherries will offer a chewy bite and tart flavor.
- Nutella: Swirl in dollops of Nutella before baking to make this easy pumpkin bread even more indulgent.
- Streusel Topping: A streusel topping adds a nice texture along with a salty sweet flavor profile.
Storing and Freezing:
- Storing: Wrap your pumpkin bread tightly with plastic wrap, in a zip-lock bag or an airtight container. It will stay fresh for 3 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freezing: Wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil before placing in the freezer. You can also use a gallon freezer bag just make sure to suck any air out of it before zipping it up. It can be stored for up to 3 months. Simply thaw at room temperature.
FQAs About Pumpkin Bread:
How do I prevent my pumpkin bread from being too dense?
Overmixing the batter is often the reason why bread becomes too dense. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients. To ensure you don’t overmix, you can do this step by hand.
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?
Yes! Makes sur it’s pureed and strained of any excess moisture before using it.
Why is my pumpkin bread dry?
You may have used too much flour or over-baked. Be sure to measure the flour correctly and keep and eye on the bread towards the end of baking time.
There’s no better way to embrace the warmth of Fall than baking with pumpkin! Not only is this Easy Moist Pumpkin Bread a delicious option, there are many pumpkin recipes to enjoy during this cozy season! A few of my favorites are Pumpkin Streusel Muffins, Pumpkin Crumb Cake, Pumpkin Bundt Cake, Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting, and soft pumpkin cookies with maple glaze.
Moist Pumpkin Bread
Moist Pumpkin Bread has deep pumpkin flavor, cozy spices and moist texture, it's a dessert that works for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.
Ingredients
- PUMPKIN BREAD:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 of a 15 ounce can pure pumpkin. About 1 cup.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup water
- MAPLE CINNAMON BUTTER
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan; set aside. You can also line the loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together; flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice and set aside.
- In a stand-alone mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (hand-held mixer works, too) cream together the vegetable oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Next, mix in eggs one at a time along with the vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Next, mix in pumpkin puree and water, again scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Lastly, add the bowl of dry ingredients a little at a time and mix just until incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan before turning the pan over to take it out. Enjoy with maple cinnamon butter!
- To make the maple cinnamon butter, whisk all of the ingredient in a bowl and serve with bread.
Notes
For extra moistness, let bread cool for 15ish minutes then gently cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. This trick will help produce a very moist bread.
Jean Hughes
Why do you use unsalted butter and then add salt to it ? That makes no sense to me.
Jessica Erin
I like to use unsalted or low sodium ingredients because I can then control the amount of salt. If you use salted butter, simply omit the salt – you don’t want to add too much.
Regina
Hi Jessica: do you wrap the entire loaf in plastic after taking it out of the pan?
Jessica Erin
Yes, you can do that or you can wrap it while it’s still in the pan. Just make sure it’s not crazy hot, just warm. Enjoy!
Betty
I added raisins and nuts. Super good.
Jessica Erin
yum!
Janey
This is an amazing recipe. I had to bake a little longer and added pecans.
Jessica Erin
Thank you!!
Annie
Fantastic addition to my growing list of pumpkin recipes! Super moist and great texture! Thanks!!
Jessica Erin
glad you liked it!
C.J
Ms. Jessica Erin, THIS—was the BEST Pumpkin Bread recipe…I have EVER tried. EVER. As a baker myself—that’s saying something for this here.
I snipped pieces of ‘candied ginger’ in the batter. If I didn’t know I would look awfully stupid, I would have laid on it! It’s a soft as a dang pillow!!!! That seem it should be a crime to be so soft.
The taste is amazing. Mouth watering. Truthfully, I didn’t think anything would beat Traders Joes Pumpkin Bread (yes…somethings are better from the box) but THIS here—-never again will I buy.
Thanks so much for an awesome recipe. You….you…Pumpkin Bread Fairy you!
Jessica Erin
thanks so much!! glad you liked it!
De
The only bad thing about this recipe?
It only makes one loaf!
What will the rest of the family eat!
Jessica Erin
ha! glad you liked it. 🙂
Wanda Nelson
Pumpkin bread and coffee sitting on the deck on a fall morning. Yumm!
Kathy
Interesting tip about wrapping the hot bread in plastic wrap; I will try that. Looks like a great recipe – but what size can of pumpkin do you use? I love pumpkin and apple recipes as soon as September gets here.
Jessica Erin
It definitely works! I used a 15 ounce can.
heidi
1/2 of the 15 oz can? Thanks.
Jessica Erin
Yes, that’s correct Heidi!
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet
This looks amazing!
Jessica Erin
Thanks Nancy!
juliajolliff
I love a good pumpkin bread! That butter looks awesome!
Jessica Erin
Thanks giiiiirlfriend!!
Jenn @ Deliciously Sprinkled
YUM! I would love a slice or two of this delicious looking pumpkin bread for breakfast right now! 🙂
Jessica Erin
Thanks Jenn!!
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files
Oh I am with you…I do love fall! Even though summer is my fav (for lake season!) but fall is quickly becoming a fav. This bread looks so tasty…I need! Pinned 🙂
Jessica Erin
Thanks Meg! Yes, Fall forever…I wish!
Jordan @ Smile Sandwich
OMG that maple cinnamon butter. I can’t resist fresh baked bread and this looks absolutely perfect.
Jessica Erin
I know! It’s the best this time of year!