Pumpkin bread might not be the first thing you think of when seasonal baked goods for fall come to mind. But unlike apple cider donuts, which are the first thing to come to mind for me when I think fall baked goods, pumpkin bread is much quicker and easier to make. Similar to banana bread, it can be prepped in 30 min or less. It also does not require any special tools to prepare. A simple loaf pan, a whisk, and a spatula are as complicated as it gets with this recipe. A stand mixer can be used to whip the butter and sugar for a more cake-like texture. I made several iterations of this cake to find the right combination and I didn’t notice a huge difference when I whipped the butter. That said, let’s get started!
Recipe Notes
Start by putting a rack in the center of your oven and preheating to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take your loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Leave some excess paper to come up the sides so that you can easily remove the loaf from the pan after baking. Spray the pan and parchment with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, add the melted butter and sugar and whisk together. Next add the two eggs to the mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the milk and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. To the mixture, add the pumpkin puree along with the spices and whisk until a consistent texture.
Next, add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients. At this point, stir the ingredients together with a spatula, not a whisk. Mix until the flour is just incorporated and there is no visible flour in the mixture. Add the chocolate chips and fold into the batter. If chocolate chips aren’t your thing, chopped nuts are also a good option.
Final Notes on Pumpkin Bread
Pour the batter into the prepared and lined loaf pan. Smooth the top of the batter with the spatula and place in the oven in the center rack. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once fully baked, let cool in the pan for ten minutes. After ten minutes, remove the loaf from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for another ten minutes. Finally, dig in and enjoy! The bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days.
Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 8×5 inch loaf pan
- Parchment Paper
- Stand Mixer optional
Ingredients
- 126 grams Unsalted Butter (1 stick + 1 Tbsp)
- 100 grams Brown sugar (1/2 cup)
- 100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 2 large eggs
- 59 ml Milk (1/4 cup)
- 5 ml Vanilla Extract (1 tsp)
- 348 grams Pumpkin Puree
- 3 grams Pumpkin Pie spice
- 1 gram Ground Cloves
- 2 grams Ground Nutmeg
- 240 grams AP flour (2 cups)
- 7 grams Baking soda (2 tsp)
- 2 grams Kosher Salt
- 87 grams semisweet chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and set the rack to the middle of the oven.
- Line the bottom of your loaf pan with parchment. Leave some excess on the sides of your parchment to help with removing it from the pan. Spray with cooking spray. Set aside until ready to use.
- If making by hand, melt the butter and whisk together with the sugar. If using a stand mixer, soften the butter and add to the bowl of the stand mixer along with the sugar and whip until light and fluffy using the paddle attachment.
- Add the eggs and whisk until well combined
- Add the milk and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth
- Add the pumpkin puree, cloves, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice to the butter and sugar mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Using a spatula, add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the mixture and stir until just combined and flour is just incorporated.
- Sprinkle the chocolate over the top of the batter and fold into the batter gently using a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top of the batter with the spatula
- Bake for 55-65 minutes or until the top of the bread is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean. Baking time will depend on the moisture level/size of your bananas. After 55 minutes, check every 5 minutes until done.
- Remove from the oven and set to cool in the pan on a wire rack for ten minutes.
- After ten minutes, lift the loaf out of the pan and let cool on the rack for another ten minutes before slicing and serving.
