Pumpkin Bread: Moistly Spiced Make-Ahead Loaves
By Emma Collins
Prep
20 min
Cook
65 min
Total
90 min
Servings
24
Level
Easy
Bake two loaves of pumpkin bread at once to enjoy freshly baked pumpkin bread: one cooled loaf to eat right away and another frozen loaf for later. This fast bread recipe includes canned pumpkin and spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for a moist loaf with a crisp crust.
The recipe calls for leveled-measured all-purpose flour and baking soda and baking powder. Creamed butter and sugar and eggs will be light and fluffy after mixing. Pure pumpkin purée is added to the other ingredients. A 100% pumpkin purée recipe will produce a cake with the flavor and sweetness the recipe creator intended. All-purpose flour and other dry ingredients are lightly folded into the batter.
Expect the batter to be curdled before mixing in dry ingredients. This is normal and won't affect the final product. Use a spatula to distribute the batter evenly in loaf pans for best results. Loaves are done when the tops are domed and a tester inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean. Overmixing after adding dry ingredients is the most common reason cakes made with pumpkin will be tough.
Leave loaves in pans for 10 minutes to cool. Cool completely on wire racks before slicing, wrapping, or freezing. Freshly baked loaves will be hard on the outside. Toast slices of leftovers to improve their taste and texture.
Why this recipe works
- Bakes two loaves at once. You can enjoy one loaf now and eat the second loaf later for breakfast or a snack.
- Freezes well for up to three months. Cooled loaves can be wrapped and frozen using aluminum foil, freezer wrap, or freezer bags.
- Individual pieces of bread can be reheated the second and other days. Reheated pieces of bread will have a crust like newly baked bread without having to bake a whole loaf of bread.
- The recipe can be divided to serve at different events, it produces two loaves with 24 servings.
- The batter includes canned pumpkin to standardize baking outcomes and allow for a pantry-based make-ahead plan.
- Cooling prior to packaging helps the loaves firm up enough to withstand slicing during packaging, freezing, thawing, and toasting.
Ingredients
- •butter (for greasing loaf pans)
- •flour (for dusting loaf pans)
- •baking spray with flour (alternative for preparing loaf pans)
- •2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled off)
- •½ teaspoon salt
- •1 teaspoon baking soda
- •½ teaspoon baking powder
- •1 teaspoon ground cloves
- •1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- •1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- •¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- •2 cups sugar
- •2 large eggs
- •1 15-oz can 100% pure pumpkin purée
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- 2
Generously grease two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans with butter and dust with flour, or use baking spray with flour.
- 3
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
- 4
Whisk the dry ingredients until well combined and set aside.
- 5
Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until just blended.
- 6
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- 7
Continue beating until the mixture is very light and fluffy, a few minutes.
- 8
Beat in the pumpkin.
- 9
Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.
- 10
Turn the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it evenly.
- 11
Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 12
Let the loaves cool in the pans for about 10 minutes.
- 13
Turn the loaves out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
166
Protein
2g
Fat
6g
Carbs
26g
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