Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread

  • Prep Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
  • Serves: 20,Yield: 39x5x3-inch loaves
  • About This Recipe

    “My mother has made this pumpkin bread recipe each year around Thanksgiving since I was a little girl. I often make loaves and give as gifts to friends and teachers. This bread is very moist and dense with a lovely spiced pumpkin flavor.”

    Ingredients

  • 5cupsflour
  • 3/4 teaspoonbaking powder
  • 3teaspoonsbaking soda
  • 2 1/4 teaspoonssalt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoonscinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoonsnutmeg
  • 1cupshortening
  • 4cupssugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoonsvanilla extract
  • 6largeeggs
  • 3cupscanned pumpkin
  • 1cupwater
  • 1 1/2 cupsnuts, chopped
  • Directions

  • Grease three 9x5x3-inch loaf pans.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Sift together dry ingredients; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, cream shortening, sugar, and vanilla.
  • Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Add pumpkin; mix well.
  • Sift in dry ingredients alternating with water.
  • Mix until smooth.
  • Fold in nuts.
  • Turn batter into prepared pans.
  • Bake for 45 to 55 minutes.
  • Reviews

  • “Excellent pumpkin bread.I scaled the recipe down and made only one loaf, but now I wished I made the whole recipe!I used butter instead of shortening, but otherwise followed to a “T”.Loved the texture and the flavor…thanks for sharing!P.S.I needed about 60 minutes bake time.”

  • “Fanstastic!!Great flavor and texture, my family loved it, it froze like a charm.This is going in our family favorites binder.I added raisins to 1 loaf, since my husband doesn’t like nuts.Next time I’m going to try addding chocolate chips in one loaf, or an orange glaze on top of another – there’s a lot you can do with this recipe – thanks for posting it! “

  • “Great recipe for gifts since it makes 3 loaves at a time (I have a lot of in-laws!).Very moist and a lovely smell of autumn spices.I used two teaspoons of vanilla and added a cup of raisins.”

  • “Great recipe.As Caryn describes, it is a dense, very moist pumpkin bread almost overflowing with nice pumpkin flavor and good spice.The finished breads were really a lovely brown color and held together nicely.Because I ran out of white sugar (a first in my home), I used only brown sugar.To account for this, I also added a bit more cinnamon and nutmeg.We don’t use shortening, so I used butter and it came out beautifully.Although I was concerned that it would be too sweet, it was just perfect.I made one loaf pan and 16 mini loaves.Thank you for posting this recipe.It’ll be well-used and is already well-loved.”

  • “Made this last night! I added 1/2 tsp of ground cloves and raisins! I toasted some pecans and chopped those up too! This was very moist and delicious! I ended up making 2 regular loaves and 4 small loaves with this recipe. I took a loaf to work and everyone has asked for the recipe!Thanks Caryn for sharing your family recipe with us!”

  • “YUMMY!!! i can not stop eatting this!!I followed recipe exactly other than adding some raisins.Definately will be making more..”

  • “Very tasty! I made the whole recipe and got a loaf, 24 regular size muffins, and 24 mini muffins out of one batch. I added dried blueberries to the loaf (1/2 cup) and chopped walnuts and chocolate chips to the muffins (about 1/2 cup of each). I love how moist this bread is–you don’t need butter or any other spread. I did make it with butter instead of shortning (I was too lazy to measure!)and I used about 3.5 cups pumpkin (couldn’t see saving .5 cup pumpkin from the can I used) I just used a little less water than called for. I like to send muffins to school with my DS and these are going to work out well. Thanks for sharing your mother’s delicious recipe!”

  • “I translated this to make 2 loaves and used one cup each of brown sugar and white sugar, instead of 2 2/3 cups – I also subbed some white-whole-wheat for 1 cup of regular flour, and used vegetable oil instead of shortening.Instead of putting nuts in the bread, I soaked about a cup of raisins in hot water while I was getting the rest of the ingredients ready, and then used that liquid for the water at the end, which I think added some sweetness as well.I topped the loaves with pecan halves.This is great autumn-y bread, with nice spiceyness & pumpkin flavor.Thank you!”

  • “This was an easy recipe, impossible to goof it up.Very yummy, I reduced it so that I could make 2 loaves.It was gone in a day.My kids loved it.Very moist and very tasty.”

  • “I just noticed now that I was supposed to add water with the dry ingredients – I must have missed that when I was mixing this up!Because I used a 28 oz can of pumpkin I don’t think I missed it at all. This is a great loaf – moist, tasty, and lots to go around. A bit sweet for my taste so I might cut back a 1/2 cup on the sugar and throw in some cloves or extra nutmeg. Thank you1”

  • “My 10 nyear old daughter & I made this for our gifts tray this year! What a HIT they were. We used 1 cup Bunt pans . We did some plain some with nuts and some with nuts and raisins! “

  • “This pumpkin bread is awesome. I doubled the recipe and made 6 loaves. I took some to work, to friends, and to family, and it was a hit with all! “

  • “Wonderful recipe!I’ve used other recipes for pumpkin bread, but this is by far the best!Great flavor, texture and freezes beautifully.Everyone loved it, even my very picky seven year old son.I baked these in mini bundt pans and they are going to make beautiful teacher gifts.Thank you for sharing!!”

  • “This was THE best pumpkin bread I’ve ever tasted!I will guard this recipe with my life!I cut the recipe in half and added 3/4 cup of raisins and it was just absolutely delicious.I’m so glad you shared this recipe, Caryn.Thanks so much!”

  • “great bread!lighter than the one i usually make, not as dense, but more light in texture.wonderful flavors and i’m glad it makes 3 loaves, because my boys already wiped out #1 and they will take care of #2 at tomorrow’s breakfast!”

  • “Caryn, this recipe is awesome…it totally kicks the you-know-what out of the pumpkin bread recipe I usually use.The texture was lovely, it was moist but not greasy and the sweetness was perfect.I have already made this twice and thrown out my old recipe.Thank You!!!”

  • “Great recipe!The only change I made was to increase the vanilla to two teaspoons.Great flavor, not too greasy.I was looking to use up a lot of pantry items because we are moving, and this did the trick!Thanks, Caryn!”

  • “I made this for my son’s Cross Country team yesterday.It was loved by parents and athletes alike.I did 2 cups brown sugar and 2 cups white.I also soaked 1-1/2 cups dried cranberries in hot water and then used the water like another reviewer suggested.I substituted butter flavored shortening for the butter taste.Next time I will try substituting wheat flour.We will definately make this again!Thanks for the recipe!”

  • “Made this recipe with fresh pumpkin and replaced the shortening with butter – other than that I used the same ingredients and quantities – it resulted in two nice loafs and several muffins that taste awesome!
    Thanks for the recipe!”

  •