This Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe makes one soft, warmly spiced loaf with pumpkin puree, melted butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and a touch of molasses. Everything comes together with a simple two-bowl method, then bakes until tall, tender, and perfectly sliceable.
This pumpkin bread is the kind of baking project that makes the entire kitchen smell like fall before the loaf even comes out of the oven. Warm ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin, butter, and molasses all show up at once, and suddenly making coffee feels less like an option and more like part of the recipe.
The texture is soft and moist without feeling wet or heavy, and the spices are noticeable without completely hiding the pumpkin. It is equally at home on a breakfast plate, next to an afternoon cup of coffee, or sliced thick enough to qualify as dessert.
If pumpkin season has officially taken over your kitchen, try my Easy Pumpkin Dessert Recipe next. For another soft loaf-style bake, this Moist Carrot Cake Loaf has the same cozy-spice energy. You can also use leftover pumpkin puree in Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats, or serve a warm slice of this loaf with my Best Homemade Hot Chocolate when you are fully committing to the cozy situation. Those recipes are currently live on The Foodie Blog.
Table of contents
Ingredients
How to Make Pumpkin Bread
Prep the oven and pan
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan (or line with parchment if you prefer an easier lift).
Combine the dry ingredients
- Whisk together the flour, ginger, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and baking soda.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
- In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until glossy. Stir in the pumpkin puree, melted butter, water, and molasses until smooth and well combined.
Combine wet + dry
- Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined (don’t worry if you have a few little lumps). If adding nuts, fold in at the end.
Bake
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan, and flatten out the top. Bake in preheated oven 55 – 65 minutes until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool, then slice
- Cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes and transfer to a rack to cool completely before slicing, for the cleanest cuts.
What Makes This Pumpkin Bread Work
Pumpkin Puree Adds Moisture
Pumpkin puree gives the loaf moisture, color, and body without needing an excessive amount of additional liquid.
Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains added sugar and spices, which would change the sweetness and seasoning of the recipe.
Butter Gives the Loaf Rich Flavor
Melted butter makes the crumb rich and soft while giving the bread a deeper flavor than neutral oil alone.
Let the butter cool slightly before adding it to the eggs.
Molasses Adds Depth
Two teaspoons may not sound like much, but molasses adds a warm caramel-like note underneath the pumpkin and spices.
It does not make the loaf taste strongly of molasses—it just makes the overall flavor feel a little deeper.
The Spice Blend Is Layered
Instead of relying on cinnamon alone, this loaf uses:
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Allspice
Together, they create a warmer and more balanced spiced pumpkin bread.
Gentle Mixing Keeps It Tender
Once flour meets liquid, the batter only needs enough mixing to eliminate large dry pockets.
Too much gluten development can make tender baked goods tougher, which is why quick-bread-style batters should not be aggressively mixed after the flour is added. King Arthur Baking explains how gluten development affects tender baked goods.
What to Serve With Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin bread works as breakfast, brunch, dessert, or a simple afternoon snack.
Try serving it with:
- Salted butter
- Cream cheese
- Maple butter
- Honey
- Greek yogurt
- Fresh fruit
- Coffee
- Chai
- Black tea
- Hot chocolate
For a full fall breakfast, serve it beside Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats.
For dessert, add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of whipped cream.
And when the weather finally starts cooperating with pumpkin season, a mug of Homemade Hot Chocolate is difficult to argue with.
FAQs
Certainly — leave out the nuts, or substitute chocolate chips or raisins if you prefer.
A toothpick inserted near the center should emerge clean (or with a few moist crumbs, but not wet batter).
It’s most often from overmixing, from flour that is over-measured, or from underbaking.
Yes. It contributes deeper flavor, though the bread is perfectly good without it.
No. Pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced, and that will mess with the recipe.
Yes — plain canned pumpkin purée does just fine here.
More Pumpkin and Quick Bread Recipes
Moist Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, ground ginger, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and baking soda.
- In a second bowl, whisk the beaten eggs with sugar. Add pumpkin puree, melted butter, water, and molasses; whisk until smooth.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in chopped pecans or walnuts if using.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, about 55–65 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool before slicing.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- 350°F (175°C), 9×5-inch loaf pan, 55–65 minute bake time, 10 slices per loaf.
- Don’t overmix once wet meets dry—stir just until you no longer see dry flour.
- If the loaf browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil near the end of baking.
- Molasses is optional but adds deeper flavor; you can omit it if needed.
- Nuts are optional; skip them for a nut-free loaf.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
