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Sliced moist pumpkin bread with a crackly cinnamon sugar top on a wooden board

Moist Pumpkin Bread

A one-bowl pumpkin bread with a dark, crackly top and a tender crumb that stays moist for days. No mixer needed.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 275
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (220 g), spooned and leveled
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves or use 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice instead of all four spices
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113 g), melted and slightly cooled
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar (150 g), packed
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 g)
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (340 g), plain canned pumpkin, not pie filling
  • 1/4 cup milk (60 ml)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional topping
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment that hangs over the long sides.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves until evenly mixed.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with the brown and granulated sugar until no lumps of brown sugar remain. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the pumpkin, milk and vanilla.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour is visible. Small lumps are fine.
  5. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Mix the topping sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it over, if using.
  6. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, or the center reads 200–205°F (93–96°C). If the top darkens too fast, cover loosely with foil after about 40 minutes.
  7. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out onto a wire rack. Let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

  • Oil instead of butter: use 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil. The loaf is a little softer and stays moist longer, with less butter flavor.
  • Dark metal pan: bake at 325°F (165°C) and add 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Muffins: fill 12 lined cups and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 to 24 minutes.
  • Storage: wrapped at room temperature 3 days, in the fridge up to 1 week, frozen up to 3 months.