This easy, delicious, moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe is loaded with pumpkin flavor and covered with a sweet cinnamon glaze. With its perfect blend of spice, it will get you into the festive fall spirit.
What better way to get into the fall mood than to bake fresh loaves of quick bread? This delectable bread is the best pumpkin bread I have ever had. This bread is sooooooooooo moist! Oh, how I know my daughter hates that word.
She is in high school now, and somehow, someone elected her the word police. Well, she is not here right now, so let me go on and on about this bread. This fantastic bread is drizzled with a to-die-for cinnamon allspice glaze while still warm.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. If you like, add 1/4 teaspoon of allspice to the bread mix.
- Pumpkin puree: canned or fresh.
- Butter: unsalted. If using salted butter, cut the added salt down to 1/2 teaspoon.
- Sugars: I like to use a mixture of granulated and brown sugar for flavor, but you can use all of one or the other.
How to Make Pumpkin Bread
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, stir together pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter, vegetable oil, sugar, and brown sugar.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three parts. Pour the batter into loaf pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool for ten minutes, then remove the pans to a wire rack to cool.
Whisk the powdered sugar, melted butter, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over warm (not hot) loaves and allow to sit for twenty to twenty-five minutes before slicing.
Preparation Tips
- This recipe makes (2) 8×4 inch loaves of bread. Grease the pans well with butter, shortening, or nonstick baking spray.
- Use canned or fresh pumpkin. See more above about using fresh pumpkin.
- Bake the bread until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the bread for about 10 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a cooling rack.
- For added texture, add chopped walnuts or chopped pecans.
Store and Freeze
Store it covered with two layers of plastic wrap or in an airtight container on the counter away from the sun for 4-5 days.
To freeze, cool completely, then wrap in two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil or a freezer zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answer is a resounding yes. I prefer to use the pie pumpkins. They are sweeter, have more flavor, and have less moisture. They are the little pumpkins, generally between 3-8 lbs. A 15-ounce can of pumpkin is just shy of 2 cups so you will need about a 3lb pie pumpkin for this recipe. See my post on pumpkin puree for complete instructions.
To freeze, cool completely, then wrap in two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil or a freezer zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bread
- 3½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 can 15-ounce pumpkin puree
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter
- ½ cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
Cinnamon Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ⅙ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- In medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and ground ginger.
- In large bowl stir together pumpkin puree, eggs, melted butter, vegetable oil, sugar and brown sugar. Working in three parts add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Split evenly between two well greased 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes and remove loaves from pan.
- In small bowl whisk together powdered sugar, melted butter, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice and ground cloves. Drizzle over warm (not hot) loaves.
Video
Notes
- This recipe makes (2) 8×4 inch loaves of bread. Grease the pans well with butter, shortening, or nonstick baking spray.
- Use canned or fresh pumpkin. See more above about using fresh pumpkin.
- Bake the bread until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the bread for about 10 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a cooling rack.
- For added texture, add chopped walnuts or chopped pecans.
Nutrition
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Josephine Dubil
I made this (along with the apple pecan bread) for coffee after church today and it was very good! Came home with a slice and a half. I was in a hurry last night so I put it in the fridge, uncovered, to cool last night and it felt very dried out this morning. I was concerned it would be a couple of hard lumps but once it came to room temp and I cut the ends off, it was still nice and moist. Lots of compliments. I was hesitant, but pleasantly surprised, about the spice glaze. It was very good. I would not skip that. I bet it would be good to make a thin cream cheese icing with that spice combo for this… I also made this in two different sized pans, but one glass 8×4 and one metal 9×5. They cooked about the same time, and I would probably use my two metal 9×5’s next time and it would be just fine. Just have to eat thicker slices… 🙂
Beth Pierce
Cream cheese icing also sounds delicious!
Janet
This is an over-the-top recipe. I bake a lot of different pumpkin breads and thought I’d tried them all. This is excellent. Thank you for a keeper recipe.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Janet.
MB
Can this recipe used to make donuts?
Beth Pierce
I am always hesitant to comment on things I have not tried. My gut instinct is yes if they are baked donuts.
MB
Yes I would be baking not frying.
MB
I am wondering if this recipe would work for donuts?
Beth Pierce
I am not sure. I have never tried. Are you thinking baked donuts?
Maria
I made the glaze and it came out see though looking definitely didn’t look like the glaze on yours.
Beth Pierce
Did you add all the spices to the glaze because that is what gives it color?
Emily
This was very good! I only had one loaf pan so I cut the recipe in half and it tasted very delicious!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Emily! So happy that you liked it!
Shirley
Hi. I want to freeze the second loaf. Can I glaze it first and then freeze it? Or should I hold off glazing before freezing?
Beth Pierce
I think if it is not too much trouble for you I would freeze and then glaze it when I was ready to serve it. It turns out a little fresher that way.
Jaden
Can you make these as muffins
Beth Pierce
Yes you can can however I would increase the temperature to 400 degrees for the first 5 minutes then drop to 350. I would start checking to see if they are done after 20 minutes. Of course all of this is untested but this is the way I would tackle it. I would also use muffin liners so they are easy to remove from the pan.
Eleanor Siverts-Akerman
If I wanted to bake this in mini loaf pans 5.5″ x 3″. , how long approximately should I bake it?
Beth Pierce
I would start checking them at 25-30 minutes just to be safe.
Kathy
Can this bread be frozen?
Beth Pierce
Yes it can!
Autumn
OMG. Lost for words with this! So happy I stumbled on it. Tastes (and looks like) it’s from a bakery for $5 a slice! It’s a perfect balance of spice, pumpkin and sweetness, and not too dense like the other recipes.
This will definitely be in my recipe collection for generations to come! Thank you so much for this!
Beth Pierce
That is so sweet! Thanks so much for all your compliments! You made my day!!
Mimi
This is the best we’ve ever ate! I’ve made lots, but this is top of the list…that GLAZE, WOW!! I made the two loaves & shared most of it to everyone’s drools! Thank you so much, for those who are in the edge..MAKE IT!! You won’t regret it!!
Beth Pierce
That is so sweet! Thanks so much Mimi! So glad that everyone liked it. I just love pumpkin recipes!!
Vicki M Fish
Salted or unsalted butter?
Beth Pierce
Unsalted butter
Masha
I don’t own any ground cloves, so can I get away with not using it? (In the glaze)
Beth Pierce
Yes you can.
Lucas
I made this and it was a hit! The bread is fluffy rather than dense, and the glaze adds the right amount of sweetness without being too sweet. I’ll definitely make this again on a chilly autumn day! Thank you for sharing!
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it Lucas! The pleasure was all mine! Have a fabulous week!
Justine
Seriously the best pumpkin recipe I’ve ever made!
Beth Pierce
Oh that is so sweet! Thanks for making my day!