Moist Pumpkin Bread Loaf (Printable)

Moist pumpkin loaf with warm spices, nuts or chocolate chips, ideal for breakfast or a cozy treat.

# What you'll need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
03 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
04 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
06 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
10 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
12 - 2 large eggs
13 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
14 - 1/4 cup milk
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Add-ins

16 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
17 - 1/2 cup chocolate chips

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
02 - Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Fold in chopped nuts or chocolate chips if using.
06 - Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top evenly.
07 - Bake 55 to 65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
08 - Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crumb stays impossibly moist for days, unlike drier pumpkin breads that disappoint by day two.
  • Those warm spices hit exactly right—enough to feel special without tasting medicinal or heavy.
  • It's forgiving enough for a beginner but satisfying enough to make repeatedly.
02 -
  • Do not skip the parchment paper—pumpkin bread is delicate and sticks stubbornly to unlined pans, no matter how much you grease them.
  • Measuring flour by spooning into a measuring cup and leveling it off will give you more flour than weighing does, potentially making the bread drier than intended.
  • A toothpick is your friend—underbaking leaves the center gummy, but overbaking dries out the crumb faster than you'd expect.
03 -
  • Sprinkle Demerara sugar over the top of the batter just before baking for a subtle crunch and a bakery-quality appearance that people notice immediately.
  • If your kitchen runs cold, let your eggs and pumpkin purée come closer to room temperature before mixing—cold ingredients don't incorporate as smoothly.
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