Pumpkin Loaf
If you’re excited for Fall baking season…this recipe is a must! Spiced pumpkin flavor in a moist cake make for the perfect pumpkin loaf.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour (plus 1 hour for cooling)
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Yield: Two 9×5 loaves
Ingredients
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree (I like to use Libby’s- make sure it’s puree not pie mix!)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350 °F and prep two 9” x 5” loaf pans by coating the sides and bottom of the pan in butter or cooking spray or lining with a piece of parchment paper. This recipe makes two loaves, so you can either halve the recipe for just one loaf, make both loaves, or my favorite…make one loaf and one pan of pumpkin muffins!
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger) then set aside.
In a stand mixer fixed with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until smooth and light in color, about 3 minutes on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides as needed.
Once the butter and sugar are mixed, add vanilla extract and mix well. Then add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition before adding the pumpkin and mixing until everything is incorporated. After you add the pumpkin the mixture might look a little grainy or curdled, that’s okay!
Add half of the dry ingredient mixture to the batter then mix on low until just combined then add remaining dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated, smoothing out any remaining visible dry ingredients with a spatula.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Or, if you’re only baking one for the time being, you can refrigerate the other half of the batter in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Bake at 350 °F for 10 minutes then lower the temperature to 325 °F and bake for another 50-60 minutes until the center is set (doesn’t jiggle if you move the pan, and a toothpick comes out clean).
Cool the loaf for about an hour, then slice and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
If you’d like to do half of the batter in a loaf pan, and half in a muffin tin, just line a 12-muffin tin with paper liners or coat with cooking spray and dollop the remaining half of the batter into the tin evenly. Bake for about half the time, 20-30 minutes depending on how big your pan is, then top with a sprinkle of cinnamon while they’re cooling for the best pumpkin muffins.
I’m not a huge maple fan, but if you are, you could add a light maple glaze to this loaf for double the fall flavor! Just whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and a teaspoon of maple syrup until smooth. If the glaze is runny, add a bit more powdered sugar until it thickens up- you want the glaze to be thick enough to not run off the sides of the loaf. Once cooled, drizzle the glaze over the loaf, wait a few minutes for it to set, then enjoy!
Nutrition Facts (per 1 slice serving)
Estimates. Will vary based on ingredients and serving size
Calories: ~200 kcal
Protein: ~2.8 g
Total Fat: ~9.5 g
Carbohydrates: ~26 g