Pumpkin Christmas Bread
Author Notes: We don’t fuss with fancy breakfasts on Christmas. After all, there are more important jobs to attend to that morning, like opening presents. So at our house, we always have this pumpkin bread to nosh on. I’ve adapted this recipe from one I received from my friend Heather. The original made 3 loaves. I adjusted the quantities and spices to suit my taste and one loaf pan. Fair warning, the bread is highly addictive. It’s perfect spread with softened butter, or some fig jam, or softened cream cheese, or just plain nekkid. - mrslarkin —mrslarkin
Food52 Review: WHO: The Pound Ridge Scone Lady herself, mrslarkin -- a woman who knows her way around a kitchen.
WHAT: An eggless (!), dairyless (!) loaf cake for breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, dessert...
HOW: Dump, stir, bake.
WHY WE LOVE IT: In her testing notes, aargersi called this pumpkin bread "magic" -- and she's right. It's soft, it's tender, it's sweet, it's spicy, it's got height, it's got everything we want in a loaf cake. It's so good that two Food52-ers specifically recommended it. Plus, it makes a great edible gift -- it is both portable and scalable. Just make sure to make an extra (or two!) for yourself. —Food52
Serves 4 - 8
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 10 ounces pumpkin puree (just over a cup-full if you're measuring and not weighing)
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, optional
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray one large loaf pan, about 9" x 5", with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together first seven ingredients. In another bowl, blend the remaining ingredients together.
- Combine all ingredients and stir well until smooth. (It is a thick batter!) Spoon into loaf pan and lightly smooth out the top with a spatula.
- Bake about 1 hours and 15 minutes, or until cake tester comes out dry and clean. Cool thoroughly. It'll seem like the loaf doesn't want to come out. Just give it a few good slaps on the bottom of the pan, and it'll come right out.
- Great to bake ahead and freeze. Wrap in plastic, then foil. Defrost at room temperature.
- If you'd like to make three large loaves, triple the ingredients, use a 29 ounce can of pumpkin puree, and mix in a great big bowl. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. This full recipe can make 7 mini loaves (3" x 6" mini loaf pans). Bake the mini loaves for an hour.
- This recipe is a Wildcard Contest Winner!
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Holiday Breakfast II
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Holiday Breakfast
More Great Recipes: Breakfast|Breakfast & Brunch|Desserts|Rice & Grains|Bread, Rolls & Muffins
Topics: Christmas
10 months ago Alisa Raley
Need something quick (like tonight.. eek!) with what i have on hand and this sounds great! Only problem... i dont have my loaf pan. Any idea how it would bake up if i use a quiche pan or 8x8" square? Thanks for any help!
10 months ago mrslarkin
Hmmm...not sure! But I would give it a try. Check doneness with a skewer, and start checking at half hour mark. Let us know!
10 months ago Sofia
The bread itself was delicious and had a great texture, but it didn't rise at all! Any idea what I may be doing wrong?
10 months ago mrslarkin
Hmmm. I don't know, other than maybe the baking soda was expired?
10 months ago Sofia
Maybe... I'll be sure to buy a new box before making this again then :D
Thanks!
12 months ago Laurelb
Fabulous. Wouldn't change a thing. Everyone loved it.
12 months ago Claire Hoyt
Well. This was the BEST pumpkin bread I've ever made. Added some chocolate chips per the hubbies request - though it would have been splendid without. It had so many caramelized edges....Wow, just wow!
almost 2 years ago nannydeb
This was perfect for our vegan neighbors for Christmas! Thanks!
almost 2 years ago Marian Bull
i was so excited to get to my sister's house for thanksgiving and find that she had made this loaf! She cut the sugar to just 1/2 C brown, I think, and added chocolate chunks instead of nuts, because we are a chocolate family. Everyone is asleep and I just ate another slice and I am happy.
almost 2 years ago jakestavis
This is a great recipe and is easily adaptable -- I used fresh kabocha squash, which I simmered in milk for 15 minutes, drained, and pureed instead of canned pumpkin. Also subbed the cloves/cinnamon/nutmeg for 1 tsp of garam masala, for a sort of spicy sweet mix. Delicious!
over 2 years ago alana
Thought I'd leave note to say that this bread is fantastic. Moist, soft, turns out like a charm everytime. You can even cheat when you're a little bit short of pumpkin and make up the difference with banana.
over 2 years ago Sam
I'm a pumpkin lover and devoured this bread! Made it twice, once with vegetable oil and once with butter. The vegetable oil bread definitely held it's shape better, but maybe had just a smidge less flavor. Either way the bread was great though!
almost 3 years ago Nicole Nesmith
Made this for Christmas and my family could not get enough. My friend, the pumpkin fanatic, says it's the best she's ever had.
almost 3 years ago Dina Moore-Tzouris
delicious! we just finished eating it--the ends are the BEST! So easy to make; a definite go-to recipe.
almost 3 years ago wendy white
I made this last night. It turned out great but I'm afraid I had to slice off an end to eat before I froze the rest for Christmas Eve. Couldn't resist.
almost 3 years ago Elizabeth
I've made this several times this fall/winter, it's definitely a new stand-by. I do melted butter instead of the oil, no one in my house is vegan and I find it's got a chewier "crust", which we like. I also almost always do a triple batch, as the cans of pumpkin around here are 15 oz or 30 oz, so I just do a big triple batch rather then have a third of a can left over. It triples beautifully :)
almost 3 years ago mrslarkin
Glad you enjoy the recipe, Elizabeth!
almost 3 years ago Yvonne Osborne Tibbet Torres
Tried this recipe and loved it.No eggs, no dairy is a plus since my husband is a heart patient. Used olive oil and it's just as sweet and moist. Making more for Christmas gifts.
almost 3 years ago mrslarkin
I'm so glad you like it, Yvonne!
almost 3 years ago Ariel Socarras
This looks yummy! I'm new to the baking side of things so I'm wondering if the all-purpose flour can be substituted out for alternative flours like chickpea flour? or are there baking qualities of regular flour that are necessary for this? Thank you and look forward to making it!
almost 3 years ago mrslarkin
Gee I don't really no if you can substitute the all-purpose flour for a non-wheat flour. There are a bunch of gluten free pumpkin bread recipes on the website that you can look at. http://food52.com/recipes...
almost 3 years ago Daria
All of the yumminess and praise didn't track with our experience: we found it dense to the point of being gummy and the spices -- all fresh -- were too faint. However, the recipe and all the comments provided a fruitful teaching device for a group of middle school bakers.
almost 3 years ago mrslarkin
Glad is was a good teaching moment, Daria! Sorry you didn't like the bread. It's never turned out gummy for me.
almost 3 years ago lindalandrews
Loved this recipe! Made the triple batch last week and got 8 small loaves to give as thank you gifts and for family. My 3 yr old grandson said, "I love your pumpkin bread Memaw". Only change I made was the length of cooking time. The small loaves took 1.5 hrs to bake. No the oven temp was not "off". So that is the only change I would recommend. Also I did add pecans - very good. Next time going to try walnuts and this week is the "next time". Used fresh pumpkin too. Thanks for a great recipe I will use again and again.
almost 3 years ago mrslarkin
So glad you liked the recipe, Linda! I love making mini loaves, too.
almost 3 years ago Trees
I just made this! I used 1 cup all-purpose flour and 2/3 cup 6 grain flour, also replaced the granulated sugar with 1/2 a cup of coconut sugar and 1/4 cup maple syrup. It turned out wonderfully!
almost 3 years ago mrslarkin
Thank you, Trees! Really glad you enjoyed the bread.
about 3 years ago DessertByCandy
Moist and flavourful result even though I had my doubts with the batter. It was indeed very thick, almost dry. I feared overmixing. The sturdy baked loaf slices neatly with tender crumb. Such an easy recipe. And vegan! I made mine using 50/50 all purpose unbleached and whole wheat red fife flour. The mix of spices include 1/2tsp ginger and 1/4tsp cardamom in addition to the original recipe. I used dried cranberries in place of nuts.
almost 3 years ago mrslarkin
that is so great to hear, CBC! So glad you enjoyed it.
almost 4 years ago Jaynerly
Congratulations Liz! Love this recipe!