Moist Spiced Pumpkin Bread Loaf (Printer-Friendly)

Moist pumpkin loaf with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Perfect for breakfast or snacks.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
03 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
04 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
05 - ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
06 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
07 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
08 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - 1 ½ cups pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
10 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
11 - ½ cup brown sugar, packed
12 - 2 large eggs
13 - ½ cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
14 - ¼ cup milk
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Add-ins

16 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
17 - ½ cup chocolate chips

# Method:

01 - Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing to prevent tough texture.
05 - If using, fold in chopped nuts or chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula for even baking.
07 - Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
08 - Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The batter comes together in one bowl with no mixer required, so cleanup is almost as easy as eating it.
  • It stays moist for days thanks to the pumpkin, which means you can bake it Sunday and still enjoy soft slices by Thursday.
  • You can toss in whatever you have, nuts, chocolate chips, even dried cranberries, and it always turns out like you meant to do it that way.
02 -
  • Use plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced and will throw off the balance of the recipe.
  • Don't overmix the batter once you add the wet to the dry, or the bread will turn out dense and chewy instead of tender.
  • Let the loaf cool completely before slicing, even though it smells incredible, or it will fall apart in your hands.
03 -
  • Measure your flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off, not scooping directly from the bag, which packs it down and makes the bread dense.
  • If the top starts browning too quickly, tent the loaf loosely with foil halfway through baking to keep it from burning.
  • Let the batter rest for five minutes before pouring it into the pan, which helps the leavening agents activate and gives you a better rise.
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