Can I make this recipe as pumpkin muffins?

Yes! This batter works great in muffin form. We love adding a streusel topping to pumpkin muffins for extra sweetness and texture. (Find our favorite crumble topping in our apple coffee cake and apple butter muffin recipes!) If you make this recipe as muffins, you'll need to reduce the bake time (you can use the baking guidelines in our banana bread muffins as a starting point!)

How do I add more pumpkin flavor?

We don't recommend just adding additional canned pumpkin puree to this recipe: Extra pumpkin can add too much moisture and weight to the batter, which means the loaf isn't strong enough to hold its own weight in the oven and is prone to collapsing in on itself and making a dense, gummy mess. We tested a few dozen variations of this bread, and we promise we packed as much pure pumpkin into it as we possibly could without compromising the texture! That said, when we follow up with people who ask us to add more pumpkin flavor to a recipe, it often turns out that what they are actually looking for is more cinnamon . And when it comes to spices, you can absolutely make adjustments here! We settled on a fairly mellow spice blend in this recipe: There's just enough cinnamon to make it taste like FALL, and a dash of cloves and nutmeg adds depth and dimension to help this bread feel cozy without overwhelming the delicate pumpkin flavor. If you want a more in-your-face fall flavor, you can add extra cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, or add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger or allspice. You can also swap your favorite pumpkin spice for the individual spices here! Keep in mind that different spices and brands can vary WILDLY in flavor and intensity, so it may take a few tries to find a blend that's perfect for your taste buds and works with your pantry! We recommend making this recipe once as written to give yourself a baseline, then experimenting with the spice blend from there until you find your perfect spice level. Don't forget: The best pumpkin bread recipe is the one that you like the best!

Can I use sourdough discard in pumpkin bread?

Yes! Sourdough discard is AMAZING in pumpkin bread. You can find our favorite sourdough discard pumpkin bread recipe in our online baking course, Everyday Artisan Bread . (We also have a great sourdough discard zucchini bread available in that course, plus dozens of other exclusive bread and baking recipes!)

Can I make this in a stand mixer?

Yes, but you really don't need to! If you do use a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment and be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl very well. Because we're working with such a small amount of batter in this squash bread, pockets of dry ingredients can easily get trapped at the bottom of a stand mixer. It may take a little finessing to make sure everything is well incorporated.

Why is my pumpkin bread gummy?

If your pumpkin spice bread is gummy or undercooked in the center, it's typically because it either 1) needed more time to bake in the oven or 2) the batter was too wet, which led the bread to collapse in on itself a bit (this happens if you measure ingredients by volume, rather than by weight: it's easy to accidentally add too much pumpkin or milk, which will make the batter looser and prevent the bread from creating as sturdy of an internal structure). For best results, always use a kitchen scale and follow the weight measurements in this recipe!

What can I substitute for canned pumpkin?

Butternut squash puree works well in this recipe in place of the pumpkin! We haven't specifically tested this recipe with canned sweet potato puree , but I suspect that would also work as a substitute.

How should I serve pumpkin bread?

We're big fans of a plain ol' slice of pumpkin bread, still warm from the oven. But you can dress it up however you like! Serve sliced pumpkin bread as-is, or toast it for a few minutes to crisp up the outer edges. Add toppings: Spread pumpkin bread with a bit of good butter or cream cheese, or drizzle a bit of honey or maple syrup on top. Peanut butter, almond butter, or nutella are also tasty over a slice of pumpkin bread. You can also sprinkle some homemade streusel topping over the batter just before baking for a coffee cake-like finish! Turn it into dessert by layering a slice of pumpkin bread with a scoop of ice cream. Top with whipped cream, fresh fruit, toasted nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds), or chocolate chips.

Easy Pumpkin Bread

Description

This easy homemade pumpkin bread is perfect for fall!

Ingredients

Scale

240 grams all purpose flour (about 2 cups when measured by scooping and leveling)
120 grams brown sugar (½ packed cup)
4 grams kosher salt (1 teaspoon)
5 grams baking soda (1 teaspoon)
7 grams baking powder (1 1/2 teaspoon)
6 grams ground cinnamon (1 Tablespoon)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (1 gram)*
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (1 gram)*
260 grams pumpkin puree (about 1 cup)
1 egg
53 grams melted butter (½ stick or ¼ cup)
60 grams milk (¼ cup)
4 grams vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
14 grams apple cider vinegar (1 Tablespoon)

*Note: Because not every kitchen scale is consistent in especially small (1-2 gram) measurements, we recommend measuring the cloves and nutmeg in this recipe by volume with a 1/4 teaspoon measure. Some scales we've tested don't really "kick in" until you hit the 4-5 gram mark: Measuring these extra-small amounts by volume helps ensure this recipe works perfectly, without accidentally adding too much of a spice, no matter what brand of scale you have!

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Instructions

Heat oven to 325° Fahrenheit. Line a metal loaf pan with parchment paper (we used a 9x5” loaf pan).
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, brown sugar, kosher salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg together.
In a separate large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, egg, melted butter, milk, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar together until smooth.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir to combine, until no dry flour remains.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake at 325° F for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Notes

Please use a kitchen scale! Measuring flour by volume (with cups) is notoriously unreliable. For best results, use a kitchen scale to follow the gram measurements in the recipe above. One caveat: Some kitchen scales we've tested are unreliable in very small quantities (just 1 or 2 grams). In this recipe, we recommend measuring the nutmeg and cloves by volume with a 1/4 teaspoon, rather than weight, to control for differences in equipment.

What kind of pumpkin should I use? Look for canned pumpkin that says "pure pumpkin," "pumpkin puree," or "solid pack" pumpkin (as opposed to pumpkin pie filling, which will produce a much different result).

Additions and Substitutions. Add mix-ins (nuts, chocolate chips, raisins) at the end of mixing. Top pumpkin bread with a crumble or streusel topping before baking if you like. Add a maple glaze or cream cheese glaze once the loaf is cooled. Add up to 3 Tablespoons of brown sugar if you'd like a sweeter, more dessert-style loaf. Use more or less of any spice to suit your tastes - you can also add 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger or allspice if you'd like a more complex spice blend. Swap the individual spices here for an equal amount of your favorite pumpkin spice.