The Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe: Ready in 30 Minutes

Erin Swenson, Food Blogger

Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe:

Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe, Every fall when the weather starts to get a little cooler, it’s pumpkin flavored everything: pumpkin spiced lattes, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin eggnog, pumpkin cereal, pumpkin cream cheese, and pumpkin bread. Pumpkin Bread Recipe is so easy to make at home and makes the perfect breakfast. Pair it with some eggs for protein and you have a delicious meal. It also makes the perfect afternoon snack. This recipe is packed full of pumpkin flavor, warm fall spices, dried cranberries, and pecans. Serve it at any harvest or Halloween party, share loaves with your friends and neighbors. You are sure to have at least a few people ask you for the recipe. 

In addition to being a wonderful fall flavor, pumpkin is a good source of vitamin A, potassium, fiber, and vitamin C. Making pumpkin a delicious and healthy choice for baking. This pumpkin bread can be baked as muffins or as loaves, and the dried cranberries and pecans can be substituted with dried fruit and nuts of your choosing.

How to Make Pumpkin Bread Recipe ?

One serving of cranberries boasts an impressive 10 g of fiber in a ¼ cup serving. Cranberries are also high in vitamin C. In this pumpkin bread recipe they help balance out the sweetness with a little tartness and complement the pumpkin flavor. 

Pecans are full of healthy fats, protein, and micronutrients. The monounsaturated fats found in pecans can help lower LDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is “bad cholesterol” and if your LDL level is high it puts you at an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. (For more information on cholesterol visit https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/ldl_hdl.htm ) In this recipe the pecans also add extra texture and crunch. 

• In a large bowl mix together pumpkin, sugar, eggs, oil, water, and vanilla.
• In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. 
• To the dry ingredients add craisins and pecans and mix well.
• Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed. 
• Separate into loaf pans or muffin tins.
• Bake at 350 degrees. For loaf pans, bake for about 1 hour until the center of loaf bounces back when touched. For muffins, bake about 15-20 minutes until the centers of muffins bounce back. 

Easy Steps Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Servings: About 16 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Baking Time:15-20 Minutes Total Time: About 30 Minutes

Ingredients for making Pumpkin Bread:

• 1 cup Pumpkin
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup oil
• ½ cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ⅔ cup flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon clove 
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ½  cup chopped pecans

Instructions for Cooking Pumpkin Bread Recipe:

1. In a large bowl mix together pumpkin, sugar, eggs, oil, water, and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger.
3. To the dry ingredients add dried cranberries and pecans and mix well.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed.
5. Separate into loaf pans or muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees.
6. For loaf pans, bake for about 1 hour until the center of loaf bounces back when touched. For muffins bake about 15-20 minutes until the centers of muffins bounce back. 

This recipe makes 2 loaves or about 16 muffins

Important Note for Recipe:

I adapted this pumpkin bread from one that my mom made when I was growing up. I added ginger, vanilla, and the pecans and dried cranberries. I like the little bit of spice that the ginger gives to this bread. If you prefer to leave out the dried cranberries and pecans, feel free. I like the added texture and the little bit of tartness that the cranberries contribute. You can also substitute the pecans for walnuts if you prefer. Delicious Ricotta Gnocchi