Breads Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Spiced Pumpkin Bread
A moist, deeply spiced quick bread made with pumpkin puree, warm autumn spices, and a tender crumb.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Instructions
7 steps- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
- 2
Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.
- 3
In a separate bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and water until smooth.
- 4
Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until combined; do not overmix.
- 5
Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- 6
Bake 55-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 7
Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before slicing.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
65/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving340
Calories
5 g
Protein
53 g
Carbs
13 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Pumpkin and winter squash have long roots in North American cooking, while the sweet spiced loaf is a more modern home-baking form shaped by canned pumpkin and chemical leaveners. It sits in the quick-bread family with banana bread and zucchini bread: mixed by hand, baked in a loaf pan, and built for slicing over several days.
Listahan note
This version leans into a moist crumb and steady spice rather than add-ins or frosting. The method keeps the batter simple, with enough oil and pumpkin to stay tender after cooling.
Technique cues
- Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing wakes up too much gluten and can make the loaf tight instead of tender.
- Canned pumpkin puree gives the most predictable texture because it is thick and consistent. Fresh puree can work, but it may need draining if it looks loose or watery.
- Let the loaf cool completely before slicing. Warm pumpkin bread smells great, but the crumb sets as it cools and cuts much cleaner.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Grease the loaf pan and start measuring the dry ingredients while the oven preheats.
- Make-ahead
- Bake the loaf a day before serving; the spices settle and the slices hold together better after resting.
- Leftover move
- Toast thick slices lightly and spread with salted butter, cream cheese, or apple butter.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Use one bowl for dry ingredients and one for wet, then rinse the pumpkin bowl before the puree dries around the sides.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
All-purpose flour
Structure base
Purpose: It gives the loaf enough strength to rise while keeping the crumb soft.
Handling: Whisk it with the leaveners and spices so the batter seasons evenly.
Adaptation: Replace a small portion with whole wheat flour for a nuttier loaf, but keep most of the flour all-purpose for tenderness.
Baking soda and baking powder
Quick-bread lift
Purpose: The two leaveners help the dense pumpkin batter rise without yeast.
Handling: Measure level teaspoons and whisk them thoroughly into the dry ingredients.
Adaptation: Do not swap one fully for the other here; they work differently and the loaf can bake up flat or soapy.
Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger
Warm spice blend
Purpose: Cinnamon carries the main aroma, while nutmeg, cloves, and ginger make the pumpkin taste fuller instead of plain.
Handling: Break up any spice clumps before adding the wet ingredients.
Adaptation: Pumpkin pie spice can stand in for the individual spices; start with about 3 teaspoons and adjust the next bake if you want it sharper.
Canned pumpkin puree
Moisture and flavor core
Purpose: It gives the bread its color, soft texture, and earthy sweetness.
Handling: Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, and whisk it smooth with the sugars, eggs, oil, and water.
Adaptation: Thick roasted squash puree can work, though the loaf may taste sweeter or earthier depending on the squash.
Granulated sugar and brown sugar
Sweetness and moisture
Purpose: Granulated sugar keeps the sweetness clean, while brown sugar adds a deeper, softer note.
Handling: Press out any hard lumps in the brown sugar before whisking the wet mixture.
Adaptation: Use all brown sugar for a darker loaf, or all granulated sugar for a lighter, cleaner sweetness.
Vegetable oil
Tender crumb fat
Purpose: Oil keeps pumpkin bread moist even after a day on the counter.
Handling: Whisk it fully into the pumpkin mixture so there are no oily streaks.
Adaptation: Melted butter gives a richer flavor but a slightly firmer crumb once the loaf cools.
Technique notes
- Check the loaf near the center, not just the crack on top. A toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- If the top browns before the middle is done, lay a loose sheet of foil over the pan for the last 10-15 minutes.
- Set the pan on a rack for the first cool-down so steam can escape, then turn the loaf out before condensation softens the sides.
Ingredient swaps
- Spice shortcut
- Use pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger when you want one-jar measuring.
- Richer finish
- Brush the cooled loaf with a little melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar for a bakery-style top.
- Muffin path
- Divide the batter into a lined muffin tin and begin checking around 20 minutes; the texture will be slightly more domed and edge-focused.
- Add-in direction
- Fold in chopped toasted pecans, walnuts, or chocolate chips after the flour is mostly mixed so they do not sink as easily.
Serve alongside
- Greek yogurt with maple syrup
- Cheddar cheese slices
- Apple and fennel salad
- Soft scrambled eggs
- Hot coffee
- Chai tea
- Cold apple cider
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Wrap the cooled loaf tightly and refrigerate if keeping it longer than a day.
- Reheat individual slices in a toaster oven or low oven until just warm, or toast them for crisp edges.
- Freeze sliced pumpkin bread with parchment between pieces, then thaw slices at room temperature before warming.
Equipment
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- Two mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Wire cooling rack
Make this household-aware
Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.
Plan it in Listahan
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