Description
This Most Perfect Pumpkin Bread recipe is a moist, flavorful autumn classic packed with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. It balances the sweetness of sugar and pumpkin puree with a tender crumb, optionally enhanced by crunchy walnuts or pecans. Finished with a buttery cinnamon-sugar topping, it’s a delightful treat perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional Add-ins and Topping
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s ready when your batter is mixed.
- Prepare the Pan: Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly combined.
- Prepare the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and granulated sugar together thoroughly until smooth and slightly pale.
- Add Pumpkin and Liquids: Stir in the canned pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract into the egg mixture until well blended.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently and just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in Nuts: If using, fold the chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter evenly.
- Pour Batter into Pan: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Add Topping: Brush the surface of the batter with melted butter, then sprinkle with the mixture of cinnamon and sugar for a sweet crust.
- Bake: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Manage Browning: If the bread begins to brown too quickly during baking, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
- Cool the Bread: After baking, let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, for best texture and flavor.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the bread tender and moist.
- Optional nuts add a nice crunch but can be omitted for a nut-free version.
- The cinnamon-sugar topping adds a delightful sweet crust; feel free to skip it if preferred.
- Check doneness with a toothpick inserted in the middle; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
