The first morning that feels like fall, I want to bake pumpkin bread. There is something about the cool air coming through the window and the smell of cinnamon and cloves in the oven that just belongs together.

This loaf is moist and tender, deeply spiced, with a crackly top and a color like autumn itself. I make it through the whole season, a slice with coffee in the morning or an afternoon snack when the kids get home from school.

One bowl for the wet, one for the dry, and no mixer to drag out. It fills the house with the smell of the season, which is honestly half the reason I bake it.

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Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Bread

Moist, tender crumb with warm fall spices.
One bowl and a whisk, no mixer needed.
Fills the whole house with the smell of the season.
Freezes well, so you can enjoy it all fall.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Bread

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Make Pumpkin Bread

Heat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until you no longer see dry flour. Overmixing makes the loaf tough.
Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the top is domed and cracked and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift the loaf onto a rack to cool before slicing.

Tips

Use pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced.
No separate spices on hand? Swap in 2 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
Fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips or chopped walnuts at the end for a little extra.
To freeze, wrap the cooled loaf well and keep it for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make muffins instead? Yes. Divide the batter into a muffin pan and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.

My loaf sank in the middle. Why? Usually it needed a few more minutes, or the batter was overmixed. Check for those moist crumbs before pulling it out.

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