Deliciously Spiced Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Pumpkin bread is one of those things that I love come the fall. It’s spicy and sweet and so amazing. As I sit here, I’m actually a bit sick off of pumpkin bread as I made a gigantic batch and I couldn’t help myself. Now I typically half this batch and use the left over pumpkin puree out of the fridge for pumpkin spice hot chocolate or other recipes. You see, I only have 1 loaf pan and there are only two of us here and if I make lots of sweet breads we’re gonna get PLUMP. Period. That’s just the way it is 🙂 Now I could totally freeze a second loaf but that won’t happen. It just won’t. I can promise you that if we have it, we’re gonna be eating it.

Whether you dig the loaf or prefer muffins, this recipe will bake up well either way. AND if you love spice cake, this is like the perfect cross between dessert breads and flat out dessert… with loads of spices that taste and smell like Autumn, you’re going to find yourself making this every time the air takes a chill in fall!

THE BEST EVER PUMPKIN BREAD RECIPE

The recipe I’m sharing below is super versatile and is great as is BUT the ingredients list can totally to be added to. Give it your own personal flair or take up one of my suggestions and I promise that every pumpkin lover in the house is going to be so pleased with you!

• 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup of applesauce
• 2/3 cup of water
• 3 1/2 cups of flour (I substitute with Pillsbury Best Gluten Free Multipurpose Flour Blend)
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice extract (or pumpkin pie spice)
• 1 tablespoon of allspice
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and line or grease muffin tins  or 2- 5×9″ loaf pans.
2. Mix together all wet ingredients in a bowl.
3. Mix all dry ingredients in another bowl.
4. Add wet to dry and stir until just blended (don’t overwork).
5. Stir in mix-ins as desired.
6. Bake 30 – 45 minutes for muffins or loaves, checking with about 10 minutes left to ensure they aren’t overbaked.

Great additions to this pumpkin bread recipe (not to exceed 2 cups total):

• Chocolate chips
• Walnuts
• Grated coconut
• Praline pecans
• Cream cheese filling (8 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature, 1/2 cup of white sugar, 2 large eggs mixed together)
• Raisins (and I kind of hate raisins!)
• Cranberries (dry or fresh)
• Pepitas

My favorite is to go halfsies with 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 cup of walnuts with muffins and cream cheese filling with praline pecans in loaves. Just be warned that if you forget and leave your loaf on top of the oven while something else bakes the cream cheese filling is going to liquify and you won’t have much of a ribbon, womp-womp 🙂

But no matter how you bake it, this pumpkin bread is going to disappear on you. I was almost a little bit disappointed when making it for Mr. Rob the first time he said “it’s good”. Not great, awesome or amazing. I bit upset by the lack of enthusiasm I go a little huffy and told him, “I know, I’m a good cook” to which he responded “no, really good.” : Dang straight, sir 🙂

Pumpkin spice and everything nice!