The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Pumpkin Bread

pumpkin bread in window
I love pumpkin bread and muffins any time of the year, particularly with chocolate chips in it and while sipping a cup of dark coffee, but pumpkin bread seems particularly appropriate this time of year.

This is a recipe for your standard pumpkin quick bread; yeasted pumpkin breads are rare, though not unheard of. Fresh pumpkin can be be used, though I usually take the easy way out and just use canned pumpkin puree. Whole wheat flour can also be substituted for some or all of the all-purpose flour for a change of pace.

Because the moisture content of the pumpkin can vary, as it can in the flour, the recipe recommends between 3 and 4 cups of flour. I used about 3 1/2 cups, but don't be afraid to trust your gut and adjust according to conditions.


Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread

Makes approximately 12 muffins, 3 small loaves, or 1 large loaf
1 3/4 cup (1 15 oz. can) pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 eggs
3-4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups chopped walnuts or chocolate chips


Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, butter, and eggs and mix until creamy. In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients except the nuts or chocolate chips. Mix 3 cups of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then add as much of the 4th cup as necessary to achieve the proper consistency (moist, but thick enough to stand a spoon in). Add the nuts or chocolate chips and stir in.

Pour or spoon the batter into greased muffin tins or bread pans. Bake on the center rack until a toothpick poked into the center comes out dry. At sea level, muffins should take between 20 and 25 minutes to bake, small loaves between 25 and 30 minutes, and full sized loaves between 50 minutes and 1 hour.

pumpkin bread on cutting board
Autumn is here!

Pumpkin Bread

Comments

pompeii's picture
pompeii

how big of a container do you need to bake the large loaf - how about the small ones?

Magrat's picture
Magrat

I have a recipe I use that is similar, but I add butterscotch chips instead.  Oh so yummi! I used to get cinnamon chips, but I can never find them in the store.  Those were the best in oatmeal cookies.

ema2two's picture
ema2two

FWIW, In Maggie Glezer's Blessing of Bread there is a yeasted Pumpkin bread, which has some origin's in the Spanish-Jewish (Sephardic) tradition.  I haven't made it, yet, but it's on my list.  It looks beautiful in her book (but then again, I think all the breads in that book look beautiful).

AW's picture
AW

This looks great. I make one from Williams-Sonoma's book, which incorporates walnut oil. I love it because it has incredible flavor depth and the fat content is lower. I only use half the amount of walnut oil, replacing the other half with canola oil.

metropical's picture
metropical

I add a little more spice to mine and raisins, c chips and walnuts.

Gone in 60 secs

Calista1's picture
Calista1

This is the best pumpkin bread I have ever eaten, and I'm picky.  Even the batter was delicious.  A millon thanks for sharing.

turosdolci's picture
turosdolci

This recipe looks great. The brown sugar is always a problem for me because my husband is a diabetic.  I have to use sugar subsitutes when I bake.  I'm going to try it but will have to change the sugar. Most of the time it works out fine, but brown sugar is always a problem. I've sent the recipe on to a few people so maybe I'll get to take it according to this recipe.  I have a great diet chocolate that we get here in Switzerland so this part is not a problem.  Thanks for the recipe.

Patricia Turo

dstroy's picture
dstroy

Let us know how it turns out with the substitutes, I am sure there are other folks with the same questions :)

mean_jeannie's picture
mean_jeannie

Took it to a Halloween gathering last night and it disappeared within minutes of our arrival.  Thanks for a great recipe!  :)

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

and a shot of tabasco.  

Mini

billy_bread's picture
billy_bread

Since I have a bumper crop of butternut squash, I substituted pureed squash for the pumpkin. I baked the squash first and then pureed it. From there I proceeded with recipe. I made loaf and muffins, using chocolate bits in some, nuts in others, finally nuts and chocolate. Awesome!

Great seller at the local farmers' market, especially the muffins.

I have used other recipes, but this one turned out the best! Thanks for posting.

Bill

 

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

Hey Floyd, if you haven't yet been to a local Cobs Bread, check out some of their seasonal Pumpkin Bread creations.  Good stuff.

http://www.cobsbread.com/home/

John

Floydm's picture
Floydm

I've been to Cobs but not in a couple of weeks, so I've not tried any of the pumpkin goodies.  Thanks for the tip... I'll have to check that out!

Best,

Floyd