Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe (Plus Pumpkin Muffins)

Every fall I bake this pumpkin bread recipe more times than I can count. It is tender, deeply moist, full of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, and it comes together in one bowl with a whisk and a spatula. No mixer, no fuss, just a loaf that makes the whole house smell like autumn.

Below you will find why this loaf stays so moist, every ingredient explained, step-by-step instructions, a complete pumpkin muffins version with its own bake times, mix-in ideas, fixes for common problems and how to store and freeze it. The printable recipe card is at the bottom of the post.

Why This Pumpkin Bread Recipe Works

A lot of pumpkin bread is either dry and cakey or so dense it feels heavy. This one lands right in the middle, soft and moist with a fine crumb and a lightly crisp top.

• Oil instead of butter. Oil stays liquid at room temperature, so the bread stays moist for days.
• A full can of pumpkin. The whole 15-ounce can goes in, so there are no awkward leftovers and plenty of pumpkin flavor.
• Brown and white sugar. Brown sugar adds moisture and a caramel note, while white sugar gives the top its gentle crackle.
• Balanced spice. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and a pinch of cloves taste warm without overpowering the pumpkin.
• One bowl. Wet ingredients are whisked first and the dry ones stirred in, so cleanup is quick.

It is the kind of loaf I keep on the counter all season for breakfast, afternoon coffee and last-minute guests.

Ingredients for Moist Pumpkin Bread

You probably have most of these in your pantry already. Here is what each one does.

• Pumpkin puree: Use plain canned pumpkin (100 percent pumpkin), not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
• Neutral oil: Vegetable, canola or light olive oil. Melted coconut oil works too.
• Eggs: Two large eggs at room temperature bind the batter and give it lift.
• Sugars: Light brown sugar and granulated sugar, plus an optional tablespoon of coarse sugar for the top.
• All-purpose flour: Spoon it into the cup and level it off. Scooping straight from the bag packs in too much flour and makes a dry loaf.
• Baking soda and salt: Baking soda reacts with the brown sugar and pumpkin for a tender, well-risen crumb.
• Spices: Cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves, or 2 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
• Milk: A small splash loosens the thick batter. Buttermilk or any plant milk works.
• Vanilla extract: Rounds out the spices.

How to Make Pumpkin Bread

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling for easy removal.

1. Whisk the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, oil, eggs, both sugars, milk and vanilla until smooth and glossy, about 1 minute.
2. Add the leaveners and spices. Sprinkle the baking soda, salt and spices over the wet mixture and whisk well so they are evenly distributed.
3. Fold in the flour. Add the flour and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. A few small lumps are fine.
4. Fill the pan. Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top and sprinkle with coarse sugar if you like.
5. Bake. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, until the top is domed and cracked and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. If the top browns before the center is done, tent loosely with foil after 45 minutes.
6. Cool. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out with the parchment and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

The hardest part is waiting. Pumpkin bread keeps setting as it cools, and slicing too early gives you gummy, crumbly slices. For the best texture, wrap it once cool and let it sit overnight. The flavor deepens and the crumb gets even moister.

How to Make Pumpkin Muffins With This Batter

This batter makes wonderful pumpkin muffins, and they bake in a fraction of the time. They are perfect for lunchboxes, brunch and freezing in grab-and-go portions.

1. Prep the pan. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line 12 standard muffin cups with paper liners or grease them well.
2. Mix the batter. Make the batter exactly as written above.
3. Fill the cups. Fill each cup nearly to the top, about 1/3 cup of batter. A large cookie scoop makes this easy and even.
4. Top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, cinnamon sugar or a few pepitas.
5. Bake hot, then lower. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) without opening the door and bake 15 to 18 minutes more, until a toothpick comes out clean. The early blast of heat helps the muffins dome.
6. Cool. Rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.

For mini muffins, fill about 36 mini cups and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 13 minutes. For a streusel top, mix 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 3 tablespoons cold butter until crumbly and sprinkle it on before baking.

Tips for the Best Pumpkin Bread

• Measure flour carefully. Too much flour is the most common reason for dry quick bread. A kitchen scale is the most reliable option.
• Do not overmix. Stir just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the loaf tough and tunneled.
• Use fresh spices. Ground spices fade after about a year. If yours smell faint, use a little more or buy a fresh jar.
• Check your oven. An inexpensive oven thermometer tells you whether 350°F is really 350°F.
• Use a light metal pan. Dark pans and glass pans brown the outside faster. If using glass, lower the oven to 325°F (163°C) and add a few minutes.
• Let it rest overnight. Wrapped pumpkin bread tastes even better the next day, when the spices have had time to bloom.

If you are in a pumpkin mood, bake a pan of my frosted pumpkin bars or the rich pumpkin cheesecake bars with gingersnap crust. You will find more loaves and rolls in my homemade bread recipes.

Mix-Ins and Variations

• Chocolate chip pumpkin bread. Fold in 1 cup semisweet or mini chocolate chips.
• Nutty. Add 3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans.
• Cream cheese swirl. Beat 4 ounces softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 egg yolk. Spoon it over half the batter, add the rest and swirl with a knife. Add about 5 minutes to the bake time.
• Cinnamon sugar crunch. Mix 2 tablespoons sugar with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle it over the top before baking.
• Maple glaze. Whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1 to 2 teaspoons milk and drizzle over the cooled loaf.
• Whole wheat. Swap up to half of the flour for white whole wheat flour for a heartier loaf.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Storage and Freezing

Once completely cool, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. In a warm, humid kitchen, or if you added a cream cheese swirl, keep it in the fridge for up to a week. Anything with a cream cheese layer should not sit out for more than 2 hours, in line with the USDA guidance on the temperature danger zone.

To freeze, wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap, then foil or a freezer bag, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight. Frozen slices can go straight into the toaster. Muffins freeze the same way and thaw in about 30 minutes on the counter.

Pumpkin bread also makes a sweet homemade gift. Bake it in mini loaf pans (about 30 to 35 minutes), wrap in parchment and twine, and deliver to neighbors and teachers.

When to Serve Pumpkin Bread

A warm slice with a smear of butter or cream cheese is my favorite breakfast on a chilly morning, and it pairs beautifully with coffee or chai. It is also a lovely addition to a weekend brunch spread next to a stack of fluffy buttermilk pancakes.

For Thanksgiving on November 26, bake a loaf or two the weekend before and freeze them. They thaw overnight and are ready for breakfast while the turkey is in the oven.

It also works as a simple dessert. Toast thick slices in a skillet with a little butter until the edges caramelize, then top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of maple syrup. Leftover slices that have gone a bit stale make an excellent pumpkin French toast or bread pudding, so nothing goes to waste.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to bake? Here is the full printable pumpkin bread recipe with exact measurements, muffin notes and estimated nutrition.

Moist Pumpkin Bread

A moist, one-bowl pumpkin bread with warm spices and a lightly crisp top. The batter also makes 12 pumpkin muffins.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Cooling 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Servings: 12 slices

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 240

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Wet ingredients

• 1 can pumpkin puree 15 oz, about 1 3/4 cups (425 g)
• 1/2 cup neutral oil such as vegetable or canola (120 ml)
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed (150 g)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
• 1/4 cup milk (60 ml)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Dry ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (220 g)

Topping (optional)

• 1 tablespoon coarse or turbinado sugar

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, oil, eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth.
3. Sprinkle in the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves and whisk well.
4. Add the flour and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain.
5. Pour into the pan, smooth the top and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using.
6. Bake 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Tent with foil after 45 minutes if browning too quickly.
7. Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

Pumpkin muffins: Divide the batter among 12 lined muffin cups. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes, then at 350°F (175°C) for 15 to 18 minutes more.

Storage: Keep wrapped at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition is an estimate per slice (1/12 of the loaf) without mix-ins or topping.

I hope this loaf becomes a fall tradition in your kitchen too. If you bake it, please leave a comment and a star rating below and let me know whether you made a loaf or muffins. Happy baking, friends! Chef Amber