Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Slice of pumpkin bread recipe on a blue and white plate with a pat of butter on top

This easy Pumpkin Bread recipe is moist, healthy and packed with fall flavor! Stir together the batter in one bowl with just 10 minutes of prep!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword healthy pumpkin bread recipe, moist pumpkin bread recipe, pumpkin bread recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Cooling Time 30

Total Time 1 30

Servings loaf (about 10-12 slices)

Calories 171.5kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (or about 1 ¾ cups fresh pumpkin puree)
¼ cup butter, melted (or substitute with mild oil such as vegetable oil or canola oil)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour (or use an additional ¾ cup of all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8.5-inch by 4.5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Place pumpkin and melted butter in a large bowl. Use a wooden spoon to mix together.
Add sugar, eggs and vanilla to pumpkin mixture. Stir until well blended.
Sprinkle baking soda and salt over mixture and stir until well blended.
Add whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger, stirring just until combined. Be careful not to over-mix.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes for dark or nonstick pans or up to 60 minutes for glass, ceramic or light pans. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Notes

The whole wheat flour yields a slightly more dense bread, so use 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and omit the whole wheat flour for a lighter crumb.
Use this batter to make pumpkin muffins! Prepare the recipe as instructed, divide the batter evenly among 12 muffin cups that have been lined with paper or greased, and bake the muffins in a 375 degree F oven for 20-22 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean).
How to store Pumpkin Bread: always wrap your loaf in plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out. The pumpkin bread will stay fresh at room temperature on the counter for 1-2 days, and it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Can this Pumpkin Bread recipe be frozen? Yes! Wrapped tightly, pumpkin bread will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Turn this into a Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread recipe by stirring about 1/2 cup (or more!) miniature chocolate chips into the batter before baking.
Add nuts to the batter, such as 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or stir in 1/2 cup of raisins or dried cranberries.
Make this pumpkin bread recipe with oil instead of butter. Just substitute an equal amount of oil for the melted butter. I recommend a mild oil such as vegetable oil or canola oil.
Is pumpkin bread good for you? This recipe uses minimal sugar, so it's just sweet enough without tasting like an overpowering cake! It also includes added fiber and nutrients from the whole wheat bread. Pumpkin is also incredibly healthy! It keeps the bread moist, while also offering additional vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Pumpkin is a low-calorie food that may boost your immune system, protect your eyesight, lower your risk of certain cancers and promote heart and skin health. One slice of this pumpkin bread includes just 171 calories, less than 5 grams of fat, and 3.4 grams of protein! By contrast, a single slice of Starbucks Pumpkin Bread has 410 calories and 15 grams of fat (source)!
How to make moist pumpkin bread: the pumpkin and the fat (butter) in this recipe help to keep the loaf moist and tender. Be careful not to over-mix your batter, though. You want it to come together so that everything is combined, but then stop stirring! Mixing too much will result in a dry, dense loaf.

Nutrition