Moist Pumpkin Bread with Warm Fall Spices

The first cool morning of the year, I pull a can of pumpkin out of the pantry and the whole house changes. This pumpkin bread is the loaf I bake every October and again at Thanksgiving. It is deeply spiced, very moist and honestly easier than most boxed mixes, because everything goes in one bowl and one whisk does all the work.

There is nothing fussy here: pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, a little milk and a spoonful of pumpkin pie spice. The oil keeps the crumb tender for days, and the pumpkin gives it that rich, almost custardy texture that makes a thick slice feel like dessert.

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Pumpkin Bread: the recipe

Prep: 15 min | Bake: 55 to 65 min | Makes: 1 loaf, 12 slices | Oven: 350 degrees F, 9 by 5 inch loaf pan

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup (225 g) pumpkin puree
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spice in a medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl whisk the pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs and milk until smooth.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Pour into the pan.
5. Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack.

Storage: Room temperature 3 days, refrigerated 1 week, or frozen up to 3 months.

Puree, not pie filling

Be sure the can says 100 percent pure pumpkin. Pie filling already contains sugar and spices and will throw off the whole recipe. I keep a two pack of Libby's pure pumpkin in the pantry from September on. For spice I use a ready-made pumpkin pie spice, which already balances cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves so you do not need four jars. If you like a stronger ginger note, add a half teaspoon of ground ginger.

Tools that make it easy

Use a standard 9 by 5 inch pan. My everyday choice is the USA Pan loaf pan, and I line it with precut parchment sheets so the sticky crumb never grips the metal. When I want a bread that goes from oven to table, I bake it in my Le Creuset stoneware loaf pan, which holds heat beautifully and gives the crust a deep bronze color. Stoneware bakes a few minutes slower, so start checking at 55 minutes.

Measure carefully with measuring cups and spoons or, better, weigh with a digital scale. Whisk the wet ingredients in a glass mixing bowl with a balloon whisk until the mixture is smooth, then switch to a silicone spatula to fold in the flour. Stop as soon as no dry flour remains.

Baking tips

Blot the pumpkin on a paper towel if it looks watery. Do not skip the baking powder and baking soda; together they give lift and tenderness. If the top is browning faster than the middle, loosely tent foil over the pan for the last 15 minutes.

Check doneness with a cake tester pushed into the center. A few moist crumbs are fine; wet batter is not. Because ovens vary, I confirm the real temperature with an oven thermometer. Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes before turning it out, and remove the pan with sturdy oven mitts.

Variations

Add a half cup of chopped pecans, mini chocolate chips or dried cranberries. For a streusel top, mix two tablespoons each of flour, brown sugar and cold butter with a half teaspoon of cinnamon, crumble it over the batter and bake as directed. To make mini loaves, divide the batter among small pans and bake 30 to 35 minutes.

Serving and storing

I slice it thick and serve it on a pretty acacia serving board with whipped butter, or toasted with a drizzle of honey. For a fall brunch, a waffle weave towel tucked into a basket keeps slices cozy.

Store the cooled loaf wrapped at room temperature for three days, refrigerate it for a week, or freeze slices for up to three months. A thick wedge on a butter dish set beside it is all the dessert I need.

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