Description

This easy vintage pumpkin bread recipe is the best ever. It’s based on my 96-year-old Granny’s recipe which is super moist and full of pumpkin spice flavor — and it requires no mixer at all, just a bowl and a fork. This is a really moist pumpkin bread that’s perfect for fall baking and for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Kids and adults alike love this pumpkin bread.

Ingredients

Scale

Pumpkin Bread Ingredients

15 ounces homemade pumpkin purée or 1 can storebought (425g)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (480g)*see notes for correctly measuring flour below
3 cups granulated sugar (595g)*see notes for reducing sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda (10g)
2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt) (8g)
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (3-4g)
1 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or more to taste (1g)
1 cup vegetable oil (227g)
4 large eggs, room temperature (200g)
2/3 cup water (140g)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (8g)
2 cups toasted walnuts (260g)

*I use 00 flour when I’m in Italy, and the weight of different flours varies based on the humidity content and absorption potential of the flour you’re working with. Just be sure to use the ‘scoop and level’ method to measure your flour into measuring cups and spoons and the recipe works perfectly every time.

*If you want a slightly less sweet pumpkin bread, reduce the sugar by 1/4 cup or even 1/2 cup. Removing too much sugar without replacing it with something, can negatively affect the chemistry during the baking process though, so be sure to keep that in mind.

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C + Prep the baking pans. Turn on the oven and generously butter or oil two 9×9-inch loaf pans (or spray with non-stick cooking spray). Add about 1/2 cup of flour to one pan and turn the pan while tapping it to ensure the flour coats every surface well. Tap out the excess flour into the second loaf pan and repeat. Tap both pans well to remove excess flour; set aside.
Measure + combine the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
Add the wet ingredients. Make a well in the flour mixture and add the oil, eggs, water, vanilla, and pumpkin purée and mix just until smooth. Add the toasted walnuts (or pecans) and stir them into the batter just until combined. *Do not overmix.
Bake the pumpkin bread. Divide the batter evenly between two loaf pans and bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Enjoy!

Notes

Use this recipe to make 30 pumpkin muffins instead. Line muffin tins with paper or foil liners and fill 3/4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove them from the pan to finish cooling on the racks. Store muffins in an airtight container, or freeze them for easy weekday breakfast, or lunch box deserts.
If you want slightly less sweet pumpkin bread, use 1/4 to 1/2 cup (50 to 100g) less sugar. This is a dessert bread after all, but it’s also really tasty without as much sugar (not to mention healthier too). If you cut out too much sugar you run the risk of the recipe failing.
Substitute orange juice for the water called for in the recipe for a little bit of citrus flavor, but you don’t need to use it to make the pumpkin bread any moister because this is by far the moistest pumpkin bread recipe I’ve ever eaten. It’s not overpowering by any means, and I typically don’t use it, but it’s still a tasty substitution.

Half Batch Pumpkin Bread Batter Ingredients (MAKES 1 LOAF)

7 1/2 ounces homemade pumpkin purée (1/2 can store-bought) (212g)
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (240g)*see notes for correctly measuring flour below
1 1/2 cups pure cane sugar (or granulated sugar) (295g)
1 teaspoon baking soda (5g)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoons table salt) (4.5g)
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, or more to taste (1.5g)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or more to taste (0.5g)
1/2 cup vegetable oil (113g)
2 large eggs, room temperature (100g)
1/3 cup water (70g)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (4g)
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, pecans, or walnuts (65g)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 65 minutes
Category: Cakes + Tortes
Method: Oven Bake
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice