Meow Recipes: Super Moist Pumpkin Bread

This post was originally published five years ago, but its power to bless our lives with a small moment of fall joy absolutely lives on. The one fancy and special thing about this recipe is that there is NOTHING fancy and special about it! It’s a simple, solid, uncluttered classic that doesn’t need any embellishment. All it needs for full pumpkiny greatness is you, your best fall sweater (or more like pajamas), and a steaming mug of rich, dark coffee. Enjoy!

This uncomplicated, EXTRA moist, sugared pumpkin bread is straight up classy.

Classy, among other things. Like barely sweet, perfectly moist, and if you so choose, a perfect canvas for melty butter or – I’m going to go there – HONEY PECAN CREAM CHEESE?? – with your morning coffee.

This guy is simple and straightforward: no chocolate chips, no nuts (gah! the betrayal), and no frosting or overloaded crumble on top in my usual over-the-top style.

Just simple, like s-i-m-p-l-e, gorgeous, classy pumpkin bread.

How This Pumpkin Bread Came to Be

Baking used to be my favorite thing – it’s actually why I started the blog. I baked almost every Saturday morning in our little condo kitchen with the terribly yellow overhead lights and the 1970’s oven and loved every second of it. My first blog post was actually a pretty average recipe for chocolate chip muffins in which I forgot to list the CHOCOLATE CHIPS. Humble beginnings.

As much as I loved baking, as Pinch of Yum started to become more of a thing, like a this-is-my-job thing, I started to feel like the “meal time” recipes were most valuable to myself (and others) rather than just baking recipes. I found that the people who were reading my little blog were hungry (aaaa! get it?) for yummy meal recipes maybe even more than they were for baking and desserts. Meal time recipes were what people wanted, they were something I enjoyed, they was performing well for the blog…

All of this led me to a place where I kind of put baking on the top shelf for a while – still there, but just out of reach.

But why? That’s sort of what I’ve been asking myself lately as I’ve realized my need to stay in love, stay fresh, stay grounded with what I’m doing. So in the last two months, I’ve been re-introducing baking into my life as I try to really get back to the core of loving food and cooking.

Whether cooking or baking, from the basic weeknight dinner recipes like the pumpkin spaghetti I’ve been eating for the last 900 meals straight to this homemade pumpkin bread that is just really, really delicious even when it’s not embellished upon at all, it all just feels so nourishing in my own personal little season of food + work + life inspiration. Fall is good for us like that.

And regarding the mention of pumpkin recipes back to back? You know I’m not even sorry about it.

Pumpkin bread on parchment after baking.

Moist, Delicious, Simple

Today’s pumpkin bread, as the obnoxious title suggests, is deliciously moist. The most important quality of a good pumpkin bread, IMHO. Really, in any good bread (see also: another deliciously moist favorite in this Lemon Poppyseed Zucchini Bread).

It isn’t made with any homemade oat flours or egg substitutes or honey in place of sugar because that’s just not where I’m at with food right now. Where I AM at is getting back to the love of the food, and the love of the food in this pumpkin bread is eggs, oil, flour, pumpkin, and real sugar.

Pumpkin bread on parchment with butter and honey.

If (er, when) you feel like you just need to ground yourself in the basics of life, food, and the beauty of changing seasons, this basic + awesome, deliciously moist pumpkin bread is here for you.

And look! Even though it really doesn’t need anything, you can, if you so desire, put butter all over it. And honey.

Happy fall!

Common Questions About This Pumpkin Bread

Can I make this gluten-free?

Probably! Use your favorite 1:1 GF flour that’s best for baking, or check out our gluten-free Favorite Pumpkin Muffins here.

Can I make this with less sugar?

Sugar is part of what gives the bread moisture! You can cut the amount of sugar, but it will affect the texture and dry the bread out a bit. For the most yummy and moist version, use the full amount! (It ends up being about 1-2 tablespoons sugar per slice.)

Can I use just one type of oil for this?

You can just use one type of oil – I liked using both because it gave a very subtle olive oil flavor without being overpowering.

Why two loaves?

Because why not?? But seriously: one for you, one for a friend or in the freezer for later.

Is that amount of salt correct?

Two teaspoons seems like a lot of salt but it really helps the flavor of the bread (pumpkin, spices, even sugar) come through.

Watch how to make this recipe:

More Pumpkin Goodness For All Your Fall Needs

5 Ingredient Pumpkin Alfredo (basic, creamy, and soooo good)
Pumpkin Rigatoni with Rosemary Walnut Crispies (MORE PASTA!)
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Butter Sauce (the dreamiest)
Instant Pot Pumpkin Walnut Chili (pumpkin in chili: YES)
Favorite Pumpkin Granola (crunchy, sweet, perfect with yogurt)
Pumpkin Energy Bites (favorite on-the-go fall snack!)

Super Moist Pumpkin Bread

★★★★★

4.3 from 20 reviews

Author: Pinch of Yum
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 12 slices per loaf (x 2 loaves = 24 servings)

Print Recipe

Description

This is an easy, classic, super moist pumpkin bread recipe made with olive oil, pumpkin, and cinnamon, and topped with crunchy turbinado sugar.

Ingredients

4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups white sugar
1 15-ounce can pumpkin (not pie filling – just regular pumpkin purée)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup turbinado sugar

Instructions

Video

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the eggs, oils, and sugar together until smooth. Add the pumpkin, milk, and water – whisk until smooth.
Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Transfer batter to two 9x5inch loaf pans lined with parchment paper. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with turbinado sugar, and return to oven for another 5-10 minutes to set the sugar. The bread should be golden brown and firm to the touch when done, and a toothpick inserted should come out clean. When in doubt, I’d say err on the side of underbaking since it yields a most moist bread. The longer it bakes the more possibility you have that the bread will dry out.
Let cool slightly before slicing and serving. Store in the refrigerator.