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Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin bread with a crackly sugar top and a moist, tender crumb baked in a 9x5 loaf pan. The method mixes wet and dry separately, folds just until no flour streaks remain, then bakes until a toothpick test is clean.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Wet ingredients
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.25 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F, then grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
  2. Set up a baking sheet under the loaf pan to help prevent over-browning on the bottom.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and ground cinnamon.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. In a separate bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, both sugars, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Combine and fill pan
  1. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until no flour streaks remain.
  2. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar over the top.
Bake and cool
  1. Bake at 350F for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean with no wet batter clinging.
  2. Cool the loaf 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool before slicing.

Notes

Pro tip: don’t overmix after adding the dry ingredients—fold just until the batter looks evenly combined for the best tender crumb. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze slices in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lower-fat option, swap vegetable oil with an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce (texture will be slightly softer).