This moist pumpkin bread recipe has hundreds of 5-star reviews! It’s incredibly tender and packed with warm fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. The secret to its irresistibly moist texture is the perfect blend of oil, melted butter, and eggs, creating a deliciously soft crumb and flavor that keeps people returning for more.
If you LOVE pumpkin, you’ll also enjoy my pumpkin pancake recipe, gooey butter cake, pumpkin cornbread, and baked pumpkin donuts!
Moist Pumpkin Bread
When fall hits, it’s time to bust out the pumpkin! I love to use pumpkin in all sorts of dishes, but this pumpkin bread is definitely one of my favorite quick bread recipes.
Use pumpkin puree from the grocery store, or make homemade pumpkin puree for this recipe. Whatever you do, be sure not to use pumpkin pie filling! It has all sorts of added ingredients we don’t need here.
This pumpkin bread is about to be one of your new favorite fall recipes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Perfect for Any Occasion: This recipe is perfect as a fall dessert or brunch treat!
Unbeatable Moistness: Every slice stays perfectly moist thanks to the vegetable oil, butter, and pumpkin puree.
Flavor-Packed: A combination of warm spices brings fall flavors to every bite.
Simple to Make: No complicated steps – just a straightforward, fail-proof recipe.
Moist Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavors in this bread beautifully.
Canned Pumpkin: Use Libby’s for a bold, smooth pumpkin flavor. Save any extra for Pumpkin Margaritas!
All-Purpose Flour: King Arthur flour is my go-to for consistent results, but you can swap in whole wheat or gluten-free options if desired.
Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Both are essential for the proper rise.
Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger add that classic pumpkin spice flavor. You can substitute with 3 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
Sugar: Adds the perfect amount of sweetness, making this the best pumpkin bread ever.
Vegetable or Canola Oil: These oils ensure a soft texture, but coconut oil works, too, if you want a twist!
Eggs: Essential for structure and that light, fluffy crumb.
Melted Butter: Adds richness and pairs with the oil to make each bite tender and moist.
How to Make Moist Pumpkin Bread
Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10 x 5 loaf pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
Mix dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
Combine wet ingredients: In a mixing bowl with a fitted paddle attachment, beat the pumpkin, sugar, and eggs until combined.
Add oils and vanilla: Turn the mixer to low and slowly pour in the oil, melted butter, and vanilla. Let this mix for 1-2 minutes to create a light, fluffy texture.
Combine wet and dry: Using a spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just blended.
Bake: Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. The bread should be fully risen in the center and browned on top.
Cool: Allow bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing, then cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Storage
Room Temperature and Refrigerate
To store your pumpkin bread, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days at room temperature.
You can also store it in the refrigerator, which can extend its freshness to up to a week.
Freezer
One thing I love about this recipe is how easy it is to make extra loaves and freeze them for later!
To freeze, just wrap the loaves individually in aluminum foil and then place them in freezer bags. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
Kept properly in the freezer, this pumpkin bread will last for several months!
Recipe Variations
Gluten-Free Option: For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (such as Bob’s Red Mill). Make sure the blend includes xanthan gum to achieve the best moist, tender texture.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread: Fold in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter before baking for a delicious chocolate twist that pairs wonderfully with the warm pumpkin spices.
Nutty Pumpkin Bread: Add 3/4 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter for a crunchy texture contrast to the moist bread. You can even toast the nuts beforehand for more flavor!
Cranberry Pumpkin Bread: Mix in 1 cup of dried cranberries for a tart, fruity complement to the sweet pumpkin flavor. They add beautiful color and festive flair, perfect for holiday baking.
Mini Loaves: Instead of one large loaf, divide the batter among 3-4 mini loaf pans. Reduce the baking time to 35-45 minutes, checking with a toothpick for doneness.
Whole Wheat Blend: Replace half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for added nutrition. The pumpkin keeps the bread moist even with the heartier flour.
Eden’s Tips
Slow Addition Method: Gradually add the oil, butter, and vanilla with the mixer running. This incorporates air into the batter, creating a lighter texture that makes all the difference!
The Perfect Pan: I swear by my 10″ x 5″ x 3″ ceramic loaf pan (the Emile Henry French Ceramic Ruffled is my favorite). The ceramic distributes heat evenly for perfect browning. If you’re using a smaller 8″ x 4″ pan, just fill it 3/4 full – you might get two smaller loaves from this recipe!
Check for Doneness: Don’t rush the baking process! The bread should be fully risen in the center and nicely browned on top. If it’s underbaked, it will sink in the middle once removed from the oven, which is so disappointing.
Metal vs. Ceramic Pans: If using a metal pan instead of ceramic, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees. Metal conducts heat more efficiently, and this adjustment ensures your bread doesn’t overbake.
Canned vs. Fresh: While you can use homemade pumpkin puree, make sure it’s super smooth and properly drained. Excess moisture can throw off the recipe. That’s why I usually stick with canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!) for consistent results.
How to Keep Pumpkin Bread from Becoming Dense
First, remember that pumpkin bread is meant to be a dense type of bread. It’s best served cut into thick slices you can sink your teeth into.
However, you may cook it too long if it needs to be more dense. Turn down your oven or reduce baking time to avoid it becoming dry and overly dense.
In the last ten minutes of baking, you can also cover your loaf pan with tin foil to ensure the top doesn’t get overcooked and come out dark brown.
Another tip is slowly adding the oil while the mixture beats to incorporate air into the batter for a lighter constancy.
Pumpkin Bread Not Rising
There are a few reasons why your pumpkin bread isn’t coming out perfectly fluffy:
- Overfilled the pan with batter
- Baking powder or soda is stale.
- The cooking temperature is too high.
- The dry-to-wet ingredient ratio is off
- Cut into it before it cooled completely.
There’s something so sad about a loaf that is sunken in the middle, so avoid these mistakes to ensure it doesn’t happen to your loaf.
Fresh Pumpkin vs. Canned Pumpkin
You can use fresh pumpkin instead of canned. However, using fresh pumpkin in quick breads, cakes, or pies requires more work and will change the bread’s flavor.
Homemade pumpkins must be pureed and super smooth, just like canned pumpkins.
I hope you’re ready to make the perfect fluffy loaf. Your whole family (and friends) will love having fresh pumpkin bread this fall, and a warm loaf makes a beautiful gift for friends, family members, and teachers.
Check out my other fall dessert recipes for more ideas on using pumpkin!
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Pound Cake Recipe
- Monkey Bread
- Monkey Bread Muffins
- The Best Blueberry Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Muffins
Looking for more loaf recipes? Try my Coconut Loaf Cake, Best Banana Bread Recipe, and Incredible Lemon Loaf. These are sure to impress!
I can’t wait to hear how this recipe turns out for you! Leave a comment and rating below – I’d love to know your thoughts. FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious recipes, cocktails, desserts, and parties!
want to save this?
Enter your email below and I’ll send it directly to your inbox!
Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil , or canola oil
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda and baking powder, spices and salt. Set aside
- Combine the oil, butter and vanilla in a liquid measuring cup.
- In a mixing bowl with a fitted paddle attachment, beat the pumpkin, sugar and eggs until combined.
- Turn the mixer to low and slowly add in the liquid ingredients. Let this process take about 1 to 2 minutes so the mixture becomes light and fluffy.
- Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet and slowly fold until the ingredients are blended.
- Prepare a 10 x 5 loaf pan by buttering it well and then adding a strip of parchment paper to the bottom and up the sides for easy removal.
- Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour. The bread will be fully risen in the center, like a loaf. Ensure it’s fully cooked and brown on the top otherwise, it will fall in the middle once removed from the oven.
I have come back to this recipe time and time again! Truly it is the most most and dense “loaf”. It is EXACTLY what I want in every variety of loaf! Banana, chocolate, lemon, etc. so happy I found this recipe. I wish the Pinterest Pin I click on it from didn’t have the comments disabled, I would have loved to encourage people there to try it too.
Thank you for leaving a comment here! I am so glad you loved it!! You should try my banana bread too, I think you’ll love it just as much. It’s SO good!
Question: How long do I bake small loaves?
The first time I made this, it came out great. Baked it for one hour ten minutes. Second time, using same loaf pan, it took an hour and 40 minutes! The only difference was the flour. My DIL had canned flour in July 2022. It had hard chunks in it, so I sifted it. Could this be the reason for the longer baking time?
There are a lot of reasons for a longer bake time, true oven temp, weather, altitude… baking times will always vary and that’s fine. Hope it turned out for you!
Best recipe! It’s a family staple in our house. I did adapt it a bit lately. I use GF flour, add an extra egg, and use all coconut oil instead of the oil and butter. So, so good!
Sooo good! I love baking and when I find a great recipe like this it’s so rewarding. Thanks,keep them coming.
Yummy recipe! I added chocolate chips! Only thing I would note is the temp is too high. Needs to be 325 instead of 350. My crust is burnt and the center sunk in 😕
I have tried so many pumpkin bread recipes over the years with many flops and this one is the BEST. A repeat keeper! Seriously so good and moist. I added extra cinnamon and cloves for extra spice 🙂
Yay!! I love hearing that and it’s MY favorite recipe too!
Should you sift the flour? my bread came out with little white flour pieces.
You can sift it, I do not usually do that but if you notice the flour is clumpy, I would.
I love this recipe I make it all year long. Makes a super moist pumpkin bread. I have made this recipe time and time again. Along the way I have made my own adjustments. The most critical change is I HIGHLY recommend adding the full can of pumpkin. I prefer the taste and texture with the full 16 ounce can of pumpkin plus you don’t end up with an odd smidge of pumpkin at the end. I also don’t typically add the full amount of sugar. I only use 1/2 of a cup. I never miss the extra sugar. The last thing is I add extra cinnamon. I like it very spiced so I add 4 teaspoons of cinnamon. Let me know if you try these changes. This pumpkin bread is a fan favorite in my house.
This recipe definitely makes 2 loaves, not just one as it stated.
The best recipe I have found for pumpkin bread! My kids, and I devour. 10/10 if you love moist not dry quick breads.