Pumpkin Bread Recipe (Moist, Delicious & No Mixer Needed!)

This Pumpkin Bread is a quick bread recipe that’s perfect for fall. Moist with the perfect amount of sweetness, my Pumpkin Bread recipe is a real winner! It’s simple to make and full of fall flavors that we all love so much.

Pumpkin Bread

This pumpkin bread is a favorite among my friends and family. We don’t wait until the fall to enjoy it either!

That’s right, y’all. You might find pumpkin bread on my table in the spring. It’s just sooo good, so why not?

Speaking of pumpkin, I’ve got some great recipes for you to try: Cheesecake Pancakes, Pumpkin Chocolate Toffee Trifle, Pumpkin Pancakes, Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, and Butterscotch Pumpkin Blondies.

This Pumpkin Bread tastes amazing slathered with some Cream Cheese Frosting!

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Bread

• Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses easy-to-find ingredients like canned pumpkin, vanilla pudding, and warm fall spices. You probably already have most of them in your pantry!
• Quick to Make: This is a quick bread recipe, so there’s no need to wait for the dough to rise. Just mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, pour the batter into a bread pan, and bake.
• Moist Texture: This bread is perfectly moist with the best texture.
• Versatile Add-Ins: You can customize this recipe by adding chocolate chips or pumpkin seeds to the batter.
• Great for Gifting: This homemade pumpkin bread makes a great gift for friends and family.
• Perfect for Fall: The warm spices make this the best pumpkin bread recipe for enjoying with a cup of coffee on a cool fall day.

Pumpkin Bread Ingredients

• Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature for the best results. This helps the bread rise properly.
• Vegetable Oil: Oil keeps the bread moist. You can use canola oil or coconut oil as alternatives, or any oil that you prefer.
• Pumpkin Purée: It’s important to use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie mix. The mix contains added sugars and spices you don’t want when making bread.
• All-Purpose Flour: This is the base of the bread.
• Sugar: Regular white sugar is used. You can replace it with the same amount of brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
• Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding Mix: Make sure it’s not instant. This ingredient adds moisture and a subtle vanilla flavor to the bread.
• Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent to help the bread rise.
• Cinnamon: Adds warm spices to the bread. You could also use pumpkin pie spice instead of just cinnamon if you prefer.
• Salt: Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. Use fine table salt for even distribution throughout the batter.

How to Make Pumpkin Bread

1. Prepare the Oven and Pans: First thing, set your oven temperature to 325 degrees to start preheating. Use either butter or a spray to grease two 8×4-inch bread pans. This helps prevent sticking.
2. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, crack and beat the eggs. Add oil and canned pumpkin to the eggs. Whisk these wet ingredients until smooth.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, measure and mix the following dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, sugar, vanilla pudding mix, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually pour the dry ingredient mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined; avoid overmixing to help the bread stay soft and moist without beccoming too dense.
5. Bake the Bread: Evenly pour batter into the prepared loaf pans. Place pans in the preheated oven on the middle oven rack and bake for about 75 to 80 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a cake tester or toothpick into the center of the loaf; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
6. For Mini Loaves: If using miniature loaf pans for gift giving, divide the batter among the pans. Adjust bake time to 50 to 55 minutes.
7. Cooling: Allow the bread to cool in the pans for a few minutes. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents the bottom from becoming soggy.

Add-ins and Variations

• Chocolate Chips: Mix 1 cup of chocolate chips into the bread batter. Combine them with the dry ingredients before adding to the wet ingredients to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.
• Nuts: Add 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter for a crunchy texture. Mix the nuts with the flour and other dry ingredients first to ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the bread.
• Cranberries: For a tart flavor, add 1 cup of dried cranberries to the batter. This variation is especially good for the holiday season and adds a nice pop of color to your pumpkin bread.
• Cream Cheese Swirl: Mix 8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature with 1/4 cup sugar and an egg. Layer half of the pumpkin batter in the pan, add the cream cheese mixture, then top with the remaining batter. This creates a creamy, tangy layer in your bread.
• Streusel Topping: Before baking, add a streusel topping made from 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed together until crumbly. This adds a sweet and crunchy texture to the top of your bread.
• Pumpkin Seeds: Sprinkle the top of the batter with raw pumpkin seeds before baking.

Baking Tips

Avoid Overmixing: When you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until they’re combined. Overmixing can make the bread tough.

Bake Time: Check your pumpkin bread a little before the suggested bake time, since ovens vary so much. You don’t want it to become dry and overbaked! Start checking at 70 minutes.

Use the Right Pan: If you’re making mini loaves, adjust your bake time. Smaller pans bake faster. For mini loaves, I start checking them at about 45 minutes.

Cooling: After baking, let the loaves cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then, remove them and let them cool completely on a wire rack. Nobody wants soggy bread!

How to Store Pumpkin Bread

1. Cool Completely: After baking, let the pumpkin bread cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature.
2. Wrap Tightly: Use plastic wrap to wrap the pumpkin bread tightly. I normally wrap it in plastic wrap and follow that with aluminum foil to keep air out so the bread doesn’t get dried out.
3. Store at Room Temperature: Keep the wrapped pumpkin bread at room temperature if you plan to eat it within a few days. It stays fresh for about two to three days, and let me tell you, it NEVER lasts any longer than that!
4. Refrigerate for Longer Freshness: If you’ll have leftovers for longer than 3 days, place the wrapped bread in an airtight container and refrigerate. It can last for up to a week in the fridge.
5. Freeze for Long-Term Storage: Place the wrapped bread in a freezer-safe bag or container. It can be frozen for up to three months.
6. Thawing: When ready to eat, thaw the bread at room temperature. If you’ve frozen individual slices, you can thaw just what you need.

Ways to Enjoy Pumpkin Bread

• Create a Maple Glaze: Mix maple syrup with powdered sugar to create a glaze. Drizzle this over the cooled pumpkin loaf.
• Toast Slices: Toast individual slices of pumpkin bread in a toaster or oven until the edges are a little bit crispy. Serve warm with some of my delicious Texas Roadhouse Butter.
• Serve with Coffee: Enjoy a slice of pumpkin bread with a cup of coffee and my homemade coffee creamer.

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Pumpkin Bread

This Pumpkin Bread is a quick bread recipe that's perfect for fall. It's simple to make and full of fall flavors that we all love so much. Moist with the perfect amount of sweetness, my Pumpkin Bread recipe is a real winner!

Servings 2 full-size loaves or 5 mini loaves

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 1-1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 15 oz can pumpkin purée
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 x 3oz boxes of cook and serve vanilla pudding mix NOT instant!
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsps cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease 2 8x4-inch (or similar) loaf pans.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the vegetable oil and pumpkin purée. Whisk until smooth.
• Mix the flour, sugar, vanilla pudding mix, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the pumpkin mixture. Pour the batter into the 2 prepared loaf pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean - about 75 to 80 minutes.
• Allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before removing them and placing on a wire rack.

Notes

This recipe can also be used in 5 miniature loaf pans, which is great for gift giving. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.