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Spiced pumpkin bread

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

Incredibly moist, tender pumpkin bread with a complex house-blend spice mix, perfectly cracked golden crust, and a texture so velvety it stays fresh for days the only pumpkin bread recipe you'll ever need.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 295
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour 250g
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg freshly grated is significantly better
  • 0.25 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.25 tsp ground cardamom
  • 0.125 tsp black pepper tiny pinch adds subtle warmth
Wet Ingredients
  • 1 can (15 oz) 100% pure pumpkin purée not pie filling
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar 150g
  • 0.75 cup dark brown sugar 165g, packed
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 0.5 cup neutral oil vegetable, canola, or melted coconut oil
  • 0.25 cup full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Optional Toppings
  • 2 tbsp turbinado sugar sprinkled on top before baking for a crunchy crust
  • 3 tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds) pressed on top decoratively

Equipment

  • 1 9x5-inch loaf pan
  • 1 Parchment paper
  • 2 Mixing bowls
  • 1 Rubber spatula
  • 1 Instant-read thermometer

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray, then line with a strip of parchment paper that overhangs the two long sides. This makes unmolding effortless.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all the spices. Whisking distributes the leaveners and spices evenly throughout the flour.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla until completely smooth.
Combine & Bake
  1. Pour wet ingredients into dry. Using a rubber spatula, fold together with large sweeping strokes until JUST barely combined. Stop when you can still see a few small streaks of flour. Do NOT overmix this is the number one cause of tough quick bread.
  2. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top gently. Sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly over the surface and/or press pepitas decoratively into the top if using.
  3. Bake for 60-75 minutes. The bread is done when an instant-read thermometer reads 200-205°F (93-96°C) in the center, or a skewer comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be deeply golden and cracked down the center.
Cool & Store
  1. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Lift out using the parchment overhang and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. Cutting into hot quick bread compresses the crumb and makes it gummy.

Notes

This bread is actually better on day 2 and 3 as the spices deepen and moisture redistributes. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for 4 days. Freezes beautifully wrap individual slices and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or toast directly from frozen.