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Easy Pumpkin Bread
Whenever we have a company gathering, this pumpkin bread is one of the first things to disappear. Super-moist and packed with flavor, it can be made into a simple pumpkin loaf; or enhanced with chocolate chips and/or nuts. Or raisins. Or cinnamon chips. Or...
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups (or one 15-ounce can) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2/3 cup water
- 3 1/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, optional
- coarse white sugar for sprinkling on top, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pans (if you're making the plain version of the bread); two 9" x 5" loaf pans (if you're adding chocolate chips and nuts); or one of each, if you're making one plain loaf, and one loaf with chips and nuts.
- In a large bowl, beat together the oil, sugar, eggs, pumpkin, and water.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and vanilla, stirring to combine.
- Mix in the chips and nuts, if you're using them. To make one loaf with chips/nuts, one loaf without, divide the batter in half. Leave one half plain, and add 3/4 cup chips and 1/2 cup nuts to the other half.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pans. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with coarse sparkling sugar, if desired.
- Bake the bread for 60 to 80 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean; and that same tester inserted about 1/2" into the top of the loaf doesn't encounter any totally unbaked batter.
- Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack. When it's completely cool, wrap it well in plastic wrap, and store it overnight before serving.
- Yield: 2 loaves.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 piece
- Servings Per Batch 16 per loaf
Amount Per Serving:
- Calories 240
- Calories from Fat 100
- Total Fat 12g
- Saturated Fat 2.5g
- Trans Fat 0g
- Cholesterol 25mg
- Sodium 125mg
- Total Carbohydrate 33g
- Dietary Fiber 1g
- Sugars 22g
- Protein 3g
* The nutrition information provided for this recipe is determined by the ESHA Genesis R&D software program. Substituting any ingredients may change the posted nutrition information.
Tips from our bakers
- Can you use your own homemade puréed pumpkin? Sure. Just be aware that it'll probably be thinner than canned pumpkin, so you'd want to add a bit more flour. Results may vary...
- Want to add a simple icing? Just before serving, drizzle with a mixture of 1 cup confectioners' or glazing sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 tablespoon milk.
- How about making gift loaves? This recipe makes eight 3" x 5" loaves, with the addition of the chips and nuts. Bake the loaves for about 45 to 60 minutes; start testing at 45 minutes, and remove from the oven when a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the loaves comes out free of crumbs.
- Variation: substitute diced crystallized ginger (mini diced ginger), golden raisins, or dried cranberries for the chocolate chips and/or nuts.
