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Warm your kitchen with the aroma of pumpkin spice by baking this healthy pumpkin bread, ideal for cool, cozy fall days.

Pumpkin Bread

This healthy pumpkin bread recipe is to make, made with homemade or canned pumpkin, topped with pepitas. So good!. Oh how I just love October, and all things cozy, warm and pumpkin! If you want to go all out, top it with some Pumpkin Spiced Cream Cheese! If you have bananas, try this Pumpkin Banana Bread and if you prefer muffins, give these Pumpkin Nut Muffins a try!

Why This Pumpkin Bread Works

Lighter – Most recipes use a ton of butter or oil, this recipe uses just a touch of oil.
Easy – No fancy tools needed, just a hand mixer and a loaf pan.
Cheaper than Starbucks! This whole bread will cost you about the same as buying a slice from the popular coffee chain. And I’m always looking for ways to save money.
Make Ahead: Make it ahead for the week for the kids, and refrigerate or freeze it.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Puree: Homemade or canned pumpkin puree will work.
Flour: You’ll need unbleached all-purpose flour.
Baking Soda helps the bread rise.
Spices: Pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg
Salt balances the sweetness and improves the texture.
Oil: I used vegetable oil, but use whatever oil you have.
Egg: You’ll need the egg whites from two large eggs.
Vanilla Extract for flavor
Pepitas: Sprinkle pepitas on top of the loaf.

How to Make Pumpkin Bread

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9-x-5-inch loaf pan with baking spray.
Dry Ingredients: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
Wet Ingredients: Beat the oil, egg whites, pumpkin puree, and vanilla in a large bowl at medium speed until thick. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Combine: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and blend at low speed, ensuring you don’t over-mix.
Bake: Pour the batter into the pan, top with pepitas, and bake on the center rack for 50 to 55 minutes. Check that it’s ready by inserting a toothpick in the center of the loaf.
Serving: Let the pumpkin bread cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Variations

What can I use instead of pumpkin puree in bread? If you can’t find canned pumpkin, make homemade pumpkin puree or you can even use pureed butternut squash.
Nuts: If you don’t have pepitas, omit them or substitute walnuts or pecans.
Spices: If you’re out of pumpkin pie spice but have the individual spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice), use them instead. I’d try ¾ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp cloves, and ¼ tsp allspice to get two teaspoons.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread: Mix ¾ cups of semisweet chocolate chips into the batter and omit pepitas.
Pumpkin Muffins: Pour the batter into a muffin and bake for 22 to 30 minutes at 350°F. Check that they’re done with a toothpick.

How to Serve Pumpkin Bread

This moist bread is perfect to enjoy any time of day. It’s delicious toasted with some pumpkin butter for breakfast or as a snack or dessert with pumpkin cream cheese. For even more pumpkin flavor, pair it with a pumpkin-spiced latte. Mmm!

FAQS

Does pumpkin bread have any health benefits?

My recipe has only 103 calories and 19 grams of carbohydrates per slice. Plus, each serving contains a little protein and fiber. Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and since it’s low in calories, it gives the bread moisture without adding saturated fat. Of course, all things in moderation.

Why did my pumpkin bread come out gummy?

Measure Precisely: A can of pumpkin has a little less than two cups of pumpkin, so don’t just throw the whole can into the batter. The bread could be gummy if you add too much or incorrectly measure the flour.
Bake Longer: If your bread is gummy in the middle, you may need to bake it longer. Double check that it’s ready by using a toothpick inserted in the center.

Should I refrigerate pumpkin bread?

This easy pumpkin bread recipe is great for breakfast all week. It can stay at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days and then be refrigerated for the rest of the week.

Does homemade pumpkin bread freeze well?

If you want to freeze bread, slice it, wrap it in foil or plastic wrap, and store the pieces in a zip-locked bag in the freezer for up to three months. To eat, thaw it in the fridge or microwave straight from frozen until warm.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe