A cup of coffee and two slices of pumpkin bread on a white plate, and a white pumpkin, all on a wooden slab.
Fall Recipes Seasonal

Best Pumpkin Bread

Fall is finally here! Ok, we’ve had a few very warm days (many, actually!). But it has cooled off some, and the leaves are turning and falling and there’s just that certain something in the air. If that doesn’t tell you it’s fall, maybe the sight of pumpkin-filled porches will! (Do you ever see a porch that is so dripping with pumkins and mums you wonder how they expect people to get up and down the steps??!!)

Speaking of Fall, I have the perfect thing for you to pair with your Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew, or even your regular coffee or milk. This Pumpkin Bread, taken from the good old red and white checked cookbook*, is moist, sweet, slightly spicy, and delicious. I made it last night for this morning’s breakfast, and when I got up, I noticed my girls had each enjoyed a piece before leaving for early shifts. It is coffee shop good, and you can tweak it to be more or less spicy depending on your love of ginger and cloves.

Pumpkin Bread

  • 1/3 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin (puree–not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (you can substitute gluten-free; I prefer BobĀ“s Red Mill 1 to 1 brand)
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger or cloves
  • 1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
  • 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. In large mixer bowl, beat together the butter, pumpkin puree, milk, eggs, and brown sugar. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and ginger or cloves. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Then mix in any of the optional ingredients (I don’t use any; I like the pumpkin bread to taste more like pumpkin than anything else!)

Pour batter into a greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake 50-60 min until a knife inserted into loaf comes out clean. Cool before serving. It’s best to make this the night before, wrap when cool enough, and slice and serve in the morning.) Makes 1 loaf.

*Recipe courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, 1990.

4 thoughts on “Best Pumpkin Bread”

  1. The recipe sounds delicious!! I can’t wait to give it a try. You are quite the baker so I know this will be heavenly. I love fall & the cool, crisp weather & as you put it “porches dripping with mums & pumpkins. ” Please keep writing & sharing. I enjoy your posts so much! Happy fall, Kim!?

  2. I recently made some homemade pumpkin bread, too. It was the first time I roasted a real pumpkin and baked with it. It was so delicious! I just started following your Instagram account. I have a brick cottage, too and love nature. Fun to connect with you!

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