Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe (No Mixer!)

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4.7 from 3 votes
2 Comments

Every thick slice of my pumpkin bread has an incredibly tender crumb and rich, spiced pumpkin flavor that melts in your mouth. Itโ€™s soft, moist, and loaded with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, making it a favorite fall recipe. Best of all, itโ€™s easy to make, just 10 minutes of prep, and the oven does the rest. No mixer required, just a hand whisk, a bowl, and simple ingredients for a foolproof recipe packed with pumpkin flavor and incredible texture.

Top down shot of the sliced up bread on a cooling rack

Hey team! Here in Australia, pumpkin desserts arenโ€™t really a thing, because when most of America is in Pumpkin spice everything mode in September, weโ€™ve hit spring! Even so, this pumpkin bread is my exception. I bake it every single year because itโ€™s easy, always turns out perfectly, plus it makes my kitchen smell insanely amazing. All those spices!

In fact, this pumpkin bread was the first pumpkin dessert I ever baked, and I have to say, Americans are onto something! The sweet, earthy pumpkin flavor really shines in this tender loaf, making it a gateway into trying other desserts that Iโ€™ve shared on the site. Recipes like my Nutella Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Pie Bars are rich with warm spices and that unmistakable pumpkin flavor, While my Banana Bread and Chocolate Banana Bread offer a different kind of comforting sweetness. If youโ€™re looking for more inspiration, Iโ€™ve got plenty of pumpkin recipes to explore too.

What makes my pumpkin bread stand out?

Itโ€™s extra moist, packed with pumpkin flavor, and spiced to perfection with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. All of those things come together to make each slice irresistible.

What does it for me?

  • Itโ€™s extra moist and it stays moist for days! Itโ€™s even better the next day.
  • Makes your house smell amazing. Seriously worth it just for that!
  • Itโ€™s all done by hand, no mixer needed
  • Rich in pumpkin flavor!

Making Your Own Pumpkin Puree Is Easy!

The pumpkin is the star of the show here! If you can get canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) it works great with this recipe. But if youโ€™re in a country where itโ€™s not readily available, itโ€™s easy to make your own! Iโ€™ve got a full tutorial on How To Make Pumpkin Puree For Baking on the blog with all my tips and tricks, but hereโ€™s a quick run-down.

  1. Roast your pumpkin in the oven, then let it cool.
  2. Run in a food processor until smooth.
  3. Let it strain through a cheese cloth to get rid of excess liquid
  4. Itโ€™s ready to use!

Why this Pumpkin Bread is moist!

I did a fair bit of testing from the original recipe to this new one! And the two biggest things I tested were how to make the Pumpkin bread softer and lighter but just as moist!

I originally tested it using brown butter in an effort to give it that delicipous toasty flavor itโ€™s known for. While it did that, it also resulted in a firmer pumpkin bread. Butter solidifies when it cools in a cake, oil doesnโ€™t, so I ultimately decided to go with oil. A little extra bicarb soda to react with the acidity in the pumpkin puree gave this new version of the recipe an extra boost of air, making it fluffier and lighter. Letโ€™s dig into more of the ingredients.

  • Pumpkin Puree – The star ingredient that gives the bread its signature flavor and incredible moisture. You can use canned Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie filling) or make your own pumpkin puree for baking.
  • Vegetable Oil โ€“ I tested this recipe with browned butter which I was hoping would make it even richer in flavor. But the problem with butter in a recipe like that is that it solidifies as the loaf cools making it feel firmer. Oil doesnโ€™t solidify which helps keep the loaf moist and soft at the same time! You can use canola oil, sunflower oil or grapeseed oil.
  • Spices (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cloves) – Deliver warm, cozy flavors that elevate the pumpkin. You can use ready made pumpkin spice but Iโ€™ve got you covered in the recipe card below to put it together yourself.
  • Brown Sugar – I use a mixture of white sugar for sweetness and some brown sugar for added moisture and an added depth of flavor.
  • Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda) – Works to lift the bread and create a light texture when combined with the acidity in the pumpkin puree.

Making Pumpkin bread by hand (no mixer needed!)

  • Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, including the spices.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients together. Eggs, pumpkin puree, oil and vanilla extract
  • Add the wet to the dry and combine using a hand whisk. No mixer needed! Add the mixed batter into a loaf tin.
  • To get that iconic split in the middle of your bread that cafรฉ bakes are known for Cut up some thing bars of butter and line them up in the middle of the pumpkin batter before baking. The butter will melt and add more moisture in that area casuing it to bake slower than the rest of the loaf.
  • I like the add a little tin foil on top of the pumpkin bread about half way through baking to stop the top from browning too much. Be gentle and try to give it a bit of a dome shape to ensure the loaf has more space to rise in the oven.
  • Youโ€™ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and no wet batter is visible. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then transfer over to a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, before slicing.

Tips & Tricks For Recipe Success!

  • Measure out using kitchen scales โ€“ Measuring out your ingredients by weight and not cups is the best way to get consistent results every time. I wrote all about this in my post about using digital kitchen scales to measure out ingredients!
  • Use room temperature eggs โ€“ to help them mix into the batter much easier.
  • The pumpkin puree you use matters! Opt in for a good quality pumpkin puree if using canned like the Libbyโ€™s brand one. I make my own homemade Pumpkin Puree because I canโ€™t get the canned stuff here.
  • When mixing the wet and dry ingredients together, take care not to overmix. Mix only until no dry ingredients are showing. Itโ€™ll keep your pumpkin bread soft and moist.
  • Cover the pumpkin bread with foil half way through the bake to stop the top from browning or burning for the final half of the bake.
  • Adding a strip of butter on top before baking gives you that iconic cafรฉ style split in the center of your bake.
Front on shot of a single slice of bread

Best way to store your pumpkin bread

I mean, if you can stop yourself from eating the entire thing on the day itโ€™s baked (which has never happened at out house) cover with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Itโ€™s such a great on the go snack.

How to freeze pumpkin bread

To freeze your pumpkin bread, slice it up, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Let it thaw at room temperature and serve.

What is this recipe in grams and not cups?

The short answer is accuracy! It is far easier, more accurate and you get more consistency results when you measure ingredients by weight, especially in dessert and bread baking! I wrote all about this in my post about using digital kitchen scales!

Tried this recipe and loved it? Awesome! Drop me a comment below and tell me about it! Canโ€™t wait to hear how it turned out for you! You can also keep up to date with me during the week by joining me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!

Thumbnail image of the sliced up bread

Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe (No Mixer!)

My Soft and Moist Pumpkin Bread is loaded with rich chocolate chips and has an incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture with each bite.

Serves 8

4.7 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cool: 2 hours
Total: 3 hours 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 214kcal

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bread

  • 225 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp bicarb soda
  • 50 g brown sugar
  • 160 g caster sugar
  • 300 g pumpkin puree, see notes
  • 190 g vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Instructions

Pumpkin Bread

  • Preheat a fan forced oven to 160C / 320F (180C/355F for no fan). Spray an 22 x 13cm / 9 x 5-inch (7.5cm / 3-inches high) loaf tin with oil spray and line the sides and bottom with baking paper. Set aside.
  • Combine dry ingredients – Add the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda and salt to a large mixing bowl. Use a hand whisk to combine.
  • Combine wet ingredients – Add both sugars, pumpkin puree, oil, eggs and vanilla extract into a medium sized mixing bowl and use a whisk to combine until smooth.
  • Mix wet with dry – Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until everything is well combined. Add the chocolate chips and fold through the batter. The batter will be thick and smooth.
  • Bake – Pour the batter into the loaf tine and use a spoon to smoothen out the top. Bake for 40 minutes, then take out of the oven and cover with tin foil in a dome shape to allow for more rise before baking for a final 40 minutes. Thatโ€™ll stop the top from browning too much. Youโ€™ll know its done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and no wet batter is visible. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer over to a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, before slicing.

Notes

Pumpkin Puree – You can use canned pumpkin puree for this recipe, not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling. Alternatively, you can make your own which is really easy using my recipe! Click here for all the tips and tricks to making your own pumpkin puree!
Storage โ€“ cover each slice in plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Itโ€™s such a great on the go snack.
Nutrition – is an approximate and is based on per slice. This makes about 8 sensibly thick slices.
A note on measurements – this recipe is offered in weight measurements. This is in an effort to offer the most accurate way to get the best results. Cup measurements simply arenโ€™t accurate enough for a recipe that needs precision and cup sizes differ depending on where you are in the world. To learn more about how to measure ingredients using digital kitchen scales, click here!

Nutrition

Calories : 214kcal
Carbonhydrates: 34g
Protein: 5g
Fat: 1g
Saturated Fat: 0.5g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat : 0.4g
Trans Fat : 0.004g
Cholesterol: 41mg
Sodium: 381mg
Potassium : 163mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar : 10g
Vitamin A: 5896IU
Vitamin C: 2mg
Calcium: 31mg
Iron: 2mg
Nutrition Disclosure
Gave this recipe a go?Mention @thescranline or tag #thescranline!

2 comments

Laura StรถรŸel November 22, 2024 - 2:24 pm

Hi,
I canยดt find the chocolate chips in the ingredients list above. Can you help me? ๐Ÿ™‚

Laura

Reply
Nick Makrides November 24, 2024 - 11:44 pm

Hi Laura! Sorry about that, I’ve just gone in and taken that out of the recipe card! Thanks for letting me know! N x

Reply
4.67 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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