Grandma’s Moist Pumpkin Bread
The best pumpkin bread is moist enough to stay soft for days, with a domed, slightly crackly top and warm spice in every slice. This loaf uses oil instead of butter, a mix of white and brown sugar, and a quarter cup of orange juice, which adds moisture and a little brightness that keeps the spices from tasting flat.
What Makes This Loaf Moist
Oil instead of butter. Butter is about 80% fat and firms up when cool, so butter-based quick breads can feel dry the next day. Oil is 100% fat and stays liquid at room temperature, so the bread stays tender and soft.
Brown sugar. The molasses in brown sugar holds onto moisture and adds a caramel note that suits pumpkin.
Orange juice. It adds liquid without heaviness. Its mild acidity also reacts with the baking soda to help the loaf rise.
Gentle mixing. Folding the wet and dry ingredients only until combined keeps gluten from developing, which would make the bread tough and full of tunnels.
Ingredient Notes
- Pure pumpkin puree: Not pumpkin pie filling. One cup is a little more than half a 15-ounce can; the rest freezes well or can go into oatmeal or pancakes.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. If you have pumpkin pie spice, use 2½ teaspoons in place of all four.
- Vegetable oil: Canola or any neutral oil works. Melted coconut oil adds a light coconut flavor.
- Orange juice: Milk or buttermilk can replace it if you prefer.
- Flour: Spoon it into the cup and level it. Packed flour makes a dense, dry loaf.
Baking Cues
Line the pan with parchment so the loaf lifts out cleanly. The batter should be thick and smooth with no streaks of flour.
Quick breads take longer than people expect. At 55 minutes, insert a toothpick or skewer into the center crack. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. If the top browns too fast before the center is done, lay a sheet of foil loosely over it for the last 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer in the center should read about 200°F.
Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn it out. Cutting while hot makes slices gummy.
Common Mistakes
- Sunken middle. Underbaking, or opening the oven too early. Check doneness with a skewer, not by color.
- Dense loaf. Overmixing or too much flour.
- Dry bread. Overbaking. Start checking at 55 minutes.
- Uneven spice. Not whisking the spices into the flour first, so clumps form.
Variations
- Chocolate chip: Fold in ¾ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Walnut or pecan: Add ¾ cup of chopped toasted nuts.
- Cream cheese swirl: Beat 4 ounces cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 egg yolk; spoon it into the middle of the batter and swirl.
- Muffins: Divide among 12 lined cups and bake 20 to 24 minutes.
Storage and Freezing
Pumpkin bread tastes better the next day, after the moisture spreads evenly and the spices mellow. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
To freeze, wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, or toast slices straight from frozen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my pumpkin bread sink in the middle?
It was underbaked or the oven door was opened too early. Bake until a skewer in the center comes out clean.
Can I use fresh pumpkin?
Yes, but drain fresh puree in a sieve for an hour first. It holds more water than canned and can make the bread soggy.
Can I reduce the sugar?
You can cut up to ¼ cup of the granulated sugar. Much more than that makes the loaf drier and less tender.
Can I bake it in two smaller pans?
Yes. Use two 8×4-inch pans and start checking at 40 minutes.
Grandma’s Moist Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray, then line it with parchment paper for easy loaf removal.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 0.5 teaspoon baking powder, 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves, and 0.25 teaspoon ground ginger.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup pure pumpkin puree, 1 cup granulated sugar, 0.5 cup light brown sugar, 0.5 cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 0.25 cup pure orange juice, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until fully smooth.
- Pour the wet pumpkin mixture into the dry flour mixture. Gently fold with a rubber spatula just until combined, taking care not to overmix the batter.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto the rack to cool completely before slicing.
