Easy pumpkin bread recipe made with pumpkin puree, dark brown sugar, sour cream, and little cornstarch. This well-tested combination ensures a moist and tender quick bread with the right amount of leavening agents to create a beautiful domed loaf.
Recipe Science
- Brown sugar’s humectant properties draw in moisture, adding a rich caramel flavor and keeping your bread moist longer.
- Cornstarch helps by reducing gluten formation, creating a tender, gel-like structure that locks in even more moisture.
- Sour cream adds a subtle tartness to balance the sweetness, while its acids enhance the spices, intensifying their flavor.
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Featured Comment 16
“I have made pumpkin bread for over 50 years. This is hands down the BEST recipe EVER! The blend of spices is Perfect, without overpowering. The main difference is the smooth , light texture. Just elegant!”—Dawn
Why It Works
Baking up a loaf of homemade pumpkin bread will instantly trigger holiday happiness. The mix of bold, gingery, and warm spices that perfume every nook and cranny of your home is worth the baking efforts. This recipe makes slices of bread bursting with caramel notes and pumpkin flavor but without being overly sweet or greasy.
A recent adventure to our local pumpkin patch inspires this recipe. I purchased a loaf of pumpkin chocolate chip bread, but I noticed starch as one of the ingredients. Generally, you don’t see that in this type of bread. That got me thinking. Cornstarch is a common thickening agent that creates a gel-like texture when heated with water. I used this basic concept to see if the starch would help trap the moisture inside the bread while creating a tender, slightly springy texture. Guess what? It worked!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pumpkin Puree: For convenience, any store-bought canned pumpkin puree can be used for the recipe. I often gravitate towards Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin. It has a deep orange color and a lightly sweet flavor.
- Flour: For the quick bread recipe, use all-purpose flour. The moderate 10 to 13% protein levels give the bread structure while keeping it soft.
- Cornstarch: A little bit of cornstarch makes a pumpkin bread recipe that still tastes fantastic days after the first slice.
- Sweeteners: Granulated sugar and brown sugar add flavor dimension. The molasses in the brown provides a caramel taste.
- Leavening Agents: Baking soda, baking powder, and eggs give the bread a beautifully risen domes surface.
- Oil: Vegetable oil reduces gluten bonding, preventing a tough and rubbery texture.
- Flavoring: Pumpkin puree on its own can taste rather underwhelming. One way to boost the naturally sweet and pulpy flavor is to add bold, warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Vanilla extract boost the baked aromas.
- Dairy: I add some sour cream to provide tartness that balances the sugary taste. The acids in the fermented cream also enhance the flavor of the spices. Milk makes the batter pourable without diluting the flavor.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
Now that you know how to make the BEST pumpkin bread recipe feel free to switch up the flavor! Try these exciting options:
- Pumpkin Options: You can also make homemade pumpkin puree by roasting pie pumpkins. Don’t forget to save the seeds to make my roasted pumpkin seed recipe. Just make sure to avoid anything labeled as pumpkin pie filling, as it already contains sweeteners and spices. This variety is typically used as a quick mix for pumpkin pie.
- Spices: I recommend making a batch of my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend and adding 2 ½ teaspoons to the pumpkin mixture. Store-bought works as well to save you some time for future recipes.
- Oil Options: Instead of vegetable oil, use a neutral oil like light olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
- Add Chocolate: To make it sweeter, mix in ½ to ⅔ cups of chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark) or mini chips.
- Add Fruit: Add ⅔ cups of dried cranberries or 1 cup of fresh or frozen and defrosted cranberries. Try my pumpkin banana bread recipe for a fruitier flavor!
- Add a Topping: For crunch, try my streusel topping from my pumpkin coffee cake recipe, or sprinkle pumpkin seeds, pecans, walnuts, or chopped nuts on top.
- Add Cream Cheese: Add cream cheese in the center to make pumpkin cream cheese muffins. Top with cream cheese frosting to make festive cupcakes!
How to Make Pumpkin Bread
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Position your oven rack in the center to ensure even baking. Then, preheat the oven to 350ºF (176ºC), a temperature that will perfectly caramelize the sugars in the pumpkin bread, creating a golden-brown crust while keeping the inside moist and tender.
Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or vegetable oil. This will create a non-stick surface, helping the pumpkin bread to be released from the pan.
Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients
Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice in a large bowl. This process helps aerate the dry ingredients, ensuring a lighter texture in your pumpkin bread.
Use a whisk to thoroughly mix everything, ensuring the spices are evenly distributed for a balanced flavor in every bite.
Ingredient Chemistry: Cornstarch helps keep the bread from getting dry and crumbly. The starches also reduce the amount of gluten formation because they compete with wheat flour for water. The result is soft slices of spiced bread loaded with pumpkin flavor.
Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients
Whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a separate bowl until smooth and pale yellow. Slowly whisk in the vegetable oil until thoroughly mixed.
Whisk in the pumpkin, whole milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. This careful blending of ingredients creates a rich, moist batter that bakes into tender, flavorful pumpkin bread.
Step 4: Make the Batter
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Gently fold the ingredients until the flour is moistened, scraping the bottom of the bowl.
It’s okay if there are a few lumps and flour spots left—this ensures the batter isn’t over-mixed, which helps the pumpkin bread stay tender and light.
Step 5: Bake
Pour the batter into the greased pan and use a spatula to smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or until the internal temperature reaches 195 to 200ºF (90 to 93ºC), which should take about 50 to 60 minutes.
Tips for Perfect Execution: If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover the bread with foil around the 45-minute mark to prevent over-browning while allowing the inside to finish baking.
Step 6: Cool
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, carefully run a knife or small spatula around the edges to loosen it before removing it from the pan. Transfer it to a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing. This step ensures that the bread is set properly, making it easier to slice and enhancing its flavor and texture.
Expert Tip: You’ll notice that the edges and crust are a bit crispy from the granulated sugar straight from the oven. Over time, as the bread picks up moisture from its environment, it becomes even more moist, just like what you typically taste in bakeries and grocery stores.
Frequently Asked Questions
The surface should be dry, the bread will spring back when lightly pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center has no crumbs attached. Use an instant-read thermometer to test the middle of the loaf. The internal temperature should be between 195 to 200ºF (90 to 93ºC).
Humectants like brown sugar attract moisture from their environment. Adding some to the bread provides a rich caramel flavor and keeps the bread moist over time. Cornstarch helps the tenderness by reducing gluten formation and creating a gel-like structure in the bread, further locking in moisture.
Over-mixing could cause the gluten in the flour to create a tight protein network, resulting in a chewier bread texture. Make sure that the flour is hydrated with a few pockets of flour remaining. Adding the correct ratio of pumpkin puree to the wet and dry ingredients is also essential. The bread will taste dense and gummy if there are not enough starches to absorb the moisture.
Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. It’s also essential to mix the bread enough so that some gluten formation occurs to build structure, but not so much that it becomes chewy.
The pumpkin bread will taste delicious at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. Store it in an airtight container or enclosed in a resealable plastic bag. The loaves make excellent presents for the holidays or a potluck. You could even divide the batter into smaller loaves for gifts.
The bread can also be sliced and individually wrapped in plastic wrap. It can then be stored in a plastic bag in the freezer for about one month. To reheat, wrap each slice in a paper towel and microwave on medium power for about 90 seconds (about 1 minute for high power).
Yes! This pumpkin bread recipe can make smaller, individually-sized pumpkin muffins. The muffins will bake in about half the time because the smaller potions cook quicker.
More Pumpkin Recipes
If you tried this Pumpkin Bread Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat Oven – Set the oven rack to the center position. Preheat to 350ºF (176ºC). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or vegetable oil.
- Mix Dry Ingredients – In a large bowl, sift flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice together. Thoroughly mix with a whisk until combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and pale yellow in color, 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the vegetable oil into the egg mixture until completely mixed, about 30 seconds. Whisk in pumpkin, whole milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract into the egg mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Make Batter – Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Gently fold the flour mixture until just moistened, making sure to scrape the bottom, with some lumps and flour spots remaining. Do not over-mix the batter.
- Bake – Pour batter into greased pan and smooth top with a spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or the internal temperature reaches 195 to 200ºF (90 to 93ºC), about 50 to 60 minutes. If needed, cover the bread loosely with foil about 45 minutes into cooking to prevent the top from getting too brown.
- Cool – Cool the bread in a pan for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife or small spatula around the sides of the pan, remove the pumpkin bread and transfer it to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Spices Substitute: Use 2 ½ teaspoons of store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- Storing: Store at room temperature for 4 to 5 days when tightly sealed in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.
- Freezing: Slices can be individually wrapped in plastic and stored in a bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. Reheat by wrapping in a paper towel and microwave on medium power for 60 to 90 seconds.
- Make it Dairy-Free: Use unsweetened cashew or almond milk instead of cow’s milk. Use dairy-free sour cream or dairy-free yogurt.
- Make it Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free flour instead of wheat flour. I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Carmen Whittaker says
Pumpkin bread came out DELICIOUS!!! Perfect day for it. I will definitely bake it again and probably give it out as gifts. Thank you Jessica for the time you put into developing your delicious recipes ❣️
Jessica Gavin says
You’re so welcome, Carmen! Mini pumpkin loaves would be awesome gifts! I’d be happy to receive one. 🙂
Julissa says
Delish! The aroma will have your family saying “what’s that?” Even before it fully cooled down, half of the loaf was gone. The spices = just right! Another Win for me because of Jessica. Thank you!
Jessica Gavin says
I am so happy to hear that the family enjoyed the pumpkin bread recipe, Julissa!
Cecilia says
just to let you know that 350F is not 117C. It is closer to 176C. 117C will not work. 🙂
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks Cecilla, fixed!
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Cecilia- I have 176ºC indicated in the recipe. Not sure where you saw 117ºC?
Dawn C. says
I have made pumpkin bread for over 50 years. This is hands down the BEST recipe EVER! The blend of spices is Perfect, without overpowering. The main difference is the smooth , light texture. Just elegant! Thank you for putting weight measurements in your recipes! Once I started baking by weight and not volume my successes increased tremendously. You are such an excellent chef. I love learning from you!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for the amazing review Dawn! Your feedback means so much, I’m thrilled to hear that the texture and taste were to your delight. Happy baking!
Lisa Rowlee says
Jessica, this recipe was fantastic! The bread turned out perfectly, especially as we followed one of your suggestions to add chocolate chips. 🙂 My family loved it and devoured it within hours. Next time I’ll be making two loaves since one didn’t last long enough. Thanks so much!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for the feedback Lisa! The chocolate chips are always a tasty addition.
Jackie says
Hi Jessica, I’m really looking forward to making this pumpkin bread-we’re big fans of your recipes! One question, though. The ingredients-list calls for AP flour, but the notes give substitutes for wheat flour. Are the ap and wheat flours interchangeable–(1:1 ratio)?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Jackie! All-purpose flour is the same as wheat flour 🙂 It’s the refined white-colored white flour.
Judy Caywood says
I definitely have to make this. It is one of the breads we like a lot and my neighbor likes it when I make zucchini bread with walnuts for him. He fries it in butter. : D
So this would be a nice change for him too. Thank you Jessica. I’m also definitely taking some to WA if we go at Christmas time. My sister and mom love Pumpkin bread.
Jessica Gavin says
The pumpkin bread would make great gifts for your family Judy!
Edie says
Would love to see a recipe for rhubarb loaf (bread) similar to this pumpkin bread using Frozen Rhubarb. Thank you.