Soft, perfectly spiced, and full of cozy flavor, this easy pumpkin bread is the kind of bake you'll want to make all season long! It comes together quickly, tastes so delicious, and makes your kitchen smell like fall.
This is the easiest pumpkin bread recipe you'll try, with simple ingredients and minimal prep. It bakes up tender and moist, with the right balance of sweetness and spice. Enjoy it plain, or slathered with butter, it turns out wonderful, every single time!
If you love sweet quick breads like I do, then you must try my avocado bread, apple butter bread, and pumpkin banana bread. Perfect for breakfast, tea time, and snacking!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
✨ Incredibly moist & flavorful- This is a perfectly soft, moist, and tender pumpkin bread with just the right balance of warm spices, making every bite irresistibly delicious.
✨ Super easy to make - With simple pantry ingredients and easy steps, this pumpkin quick bread recipe is beginner-friendly and foolproof, perfect for home bakers of all levels.
✨ A cozy and warm treat- With its warm spices and comforting aroma, this pumpkin bread is perfect for fall mornings, afternoon tea, or holiday gatherings.
Recipe Ingredients
Flour: Instead of whole wheat flour, you can use all-purpose flour for the recipe or a mix of the two.
Pumpkin puree: You can use canned, but I make mine at home like I did for my vegan pumpkin muffins.
Egg: For structure, richness, and moisture. You can use flax eggs to make eggless pumpkin bread.
Nuts: Walnuts add a gorgeous texture. You can swap them for any nuts you prefer.
Sugar: I've used raw sugar here, but you can use regular granulated sugar or brown sugar for a more caramel-like flavor.
Oil: Olive oil was my choice of fat for this pumpkin bread. But feel free to use any vegetable oil or melted butter.
Pumpkin pie spice: You can use store-bought or make your own with my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend recipe.
Please see the recipe card for full information about ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Pumpkin Bread
Step 1: Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk in raw sugar.
Step 2: In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, olive oil, and vanilla extract.
Step 3: Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well until no white streaks remain. Don't overmix.
Step 4: Fold in the walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Pour the batter into your prepared pan.
Step 5: Top with extra walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar, if using.
Step 6: Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is springy to touch and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 7: Cool the cake in the pan for 10-15 minutes before turning it out on a cooling rack.
Cool completely before slicing.
How To Make Pumpkin Puree
We don’t get canned pumpkins here (to the best of my knowledge), but have an abundance of excellent pumpkins. So, I made pumpkin bread with fresh pumpkin puree.
There are many ways to make it, but I prefer the steaming method:
- Peel and cube the pumpkin.
- Put it in a steamer for 15 minutes.
- With a fork, mash the steamed pumpkin. You can also use a stick blender or regular blender.
- Store in an airtight conatiner in the refrigerator. This will stay well for a week. For longer storage, you can freeze the puree.
- You can also roast the pumpkin cubes or cook them in a microwave.
Top Tips
- Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make the bread dense, instead of soft and tender.
- Always, always, always let pumpkin bread cool completely because the bread is incredibly soft and moist. First, leave it in the tin for 15 minutes. Then turn it out on your cooling rack for a good 30 minutes to 1 hour. Slicing too soon, may make it crumble.
- Baking times differ from oven to oven. Start testing around the 40-minute mark. Insert a skewer in the center - If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, the pumpkin bread is ready.
- Make sure your pumpkin puree is thick and not watery. If it looks too watery, cook it for 4-5 minutes or blot it lightly with paper towels.
How To Serve Pumpkin Bread
This pumpkin bread is lovely on its own, but even better warm, with a pat of butter or cinnamon honey butter. For more cozy fall vibes, try it with my stovetop apple butter or pear butter.
It pairs beautifully with a cup of tea or coffee.
Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream as dessert.
Storage Tips
Once completely cool, store the bread in an air-tight container. This will stay well for 2-3 days at room temperature.
You can refrigerate it for up to 1 week.
For longer storage, wrap the whole bread or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature or warm up in an oven or toaster.
📖 Recipe
Easy Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Wholewheat flour
- 1.5 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1.5 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup Raw sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup Olive oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup Walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon sugar ( Optional) Combine 1 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C / 350 F. Grease a loaf pan 8" x 4".
- Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.1.5 cups Wholewheat flour, 1.5 tsp Baking powder, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1/4 tsp Salt, 1.5 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
- Whisk in raw sugar.1/2 cup Raw sugar
- In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, olive oil, and vanilla extract.2 Eggs, 1 cup Pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup Olive oil,1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Pour into the dry ingredients and mix well, until no white streaks remain.
- Fold in the walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Pour the batter into your prepared pan.1/3 cup Walnuts, roughly chopped, 1/4 cup Pumpkin seeds
- Top with extra walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar, if using.
- Bake at 180 C / 350 F for 40-45 minutes, until the top is springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10-15 minutes before turning it out on a cooling rack.
- Cool completely, slice, and enjoy!
Notes
- Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make the bread dense, instead of soft and tender.
- Always, always, always let pumpkin bread cool completely because the bread is incredibly soft and moist. First, leave it in the tin for 15 minutes. Then turn it out on your cooling rack for a good 30 minutes to 1 hour. Slicing too soon, may make it crumble.
- Baking times differ from oven to oven. Start testing around the 40-minute mark. Insert a skewer in the center - If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, the pumpkin bread is ready.
- Make sure your pumpkin puree is thick and not watery. If it looks too watery, cook it for 4-5 minutes or blot it lightly with paper towels.
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