Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt (or 1/8 tsp table salt)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (plain pumpkin, not pumpkin pie puree)
- 1/2 cup warm milk (heated about 30 seconds)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and allow it to fully heat up while you prepare your ingredients.
- Prepare Pan: Grease and flour a round cake pan or loaf pan thoroughly. Alternatively, line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Set this aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In another bowl, use a hand mixer on high speed to cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the two large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Add Pumpkin and Vanilla: Mix the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract into the wet mixture until evenly combined.
- Combine Dry with Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, folding gently with a spatula or mixing by hand just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Add Warm Milk: Stir in the warm milk until the batter is smooth and homogenous.
- Pour Batter Into Pan: Transfer the batter evenly into your prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Bake: For cake pans, bake for 45-50 minutes. For loaf pans, bake on a sheet tray to catch any leaks for 50-55 minutes. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Oven times may vary, so start checking at the minimum time.
- Cool Briefly: Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes to set.
- Remove and Cool Completely: Carefully loosen the edges with a knife, invert onto a plate, and cool another 15 minutes. If parchment paper was used, simply lift the bread out by the paper. Once cooled, it’s ready to serve or store.
Notes
- Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, to avoid added spices or sweeteners.
- Warm the milk slightly for better incorporation into the batter.
- Do not overmix the batter after adding dry ingredients to prevent a dense bread.
- Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick; a few moist crumbs are okay as the bread will continue cooking slightly while resting.
- Allow the bread to cool fully to enhance slicing and texture.
- Storing the bread in an airtight container at room temperature keeps it fresh for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of bread)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 19g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg