Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Bread
Two moist, warmly spiced pumpkin loaves from one can of purée. Bake them a day ahead, because the flavour deepens overnight. Keep one, give one away or freeze it.
Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
Dry
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (about 440 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ¼ teaspoons fine salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, freshly grated if you can
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Wet
- 1 can (15 oz) plain pumpkin purée, about 1 3/4 cups
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
Optional
- 1 cup chopped toasted pecans or semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar, for the tops
Instructions
- Prep the pans.
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the middle. Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans, line the bottom and long sides with a strip of parchment, and grease the parchment.
- Mix the dry ingredients.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves together in a large bowl, breaking up any lumps of spice.
- Mix the wet ingredients.
In a second large bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, milk and both sugars until smooth, then whisk in the pumpkin. Let it sit for 2 minutes so the sugar starts to dissolve.
- Combine.
Tip the dry mixture into the wet one and fold with a spatula for about 20 strokes, just until the last streaks of flour disappear. Fold in the pecans or chocolate chips here, if using. The batter should be thick but pourable.
- Fill the pans.
Divide the batter evenly between the pans, level the tops and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Tap each pan on the counter twice to knock out large air pockets.
- Bake.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick in the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the tops are dark by 40 minutes, tent them loosely with foil.
- Cool.
Cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Lift the loaves out by the parchment and set them on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Canned pumpkin, not pie filling: Pie filling has sugar and spices already added and will throw off the balance. The label should say pumpkin only.
Fresh purée: Home-roasted pumpkin holds more water. Drain it in a sieve for 20 minutes, until thick enough to sit on a spoon, then measure 1 3/4 cups.
Measure the flour properly: Spoon it into the cup and level it off, or weigh it. Scooping from the bag packs in up to an extra 1/2 cup and gives a dry loaf.
Fold, don't beat: Beating develops gluten and gives a tough, rubbery crumb with tunnels.
Why make it a day ahead: Once the loaf is wrapped, the spices spread through the crumb and the top softens. It tastes better on day two.
Less sweet: You can drop the granulated sugar to 1 1/2 cups. The loaves will be a little paler and slightly less moist.
Storage: Wrap tightly and keep at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. To freeze, wrap whole loaves or single slices well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw while still wrapped.
