Easy Pumpkin Bread

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I’ve made pumpkin biscuits, pumpkin coffee cake, 42-calorie pumpkin cookies, pumpkin lasagna and even pumpkin chili, but I’ve never made a simple loaf of good old fashioned pumpkin bread. And after a recent trip to the Pumpkin Patch where they were selling one loaf of pumpkin bread for OVER 7 DOLLARS, I thought, hey, no better time than now to make my own.

fluffy pumpkin bread

Because $7 dollars for a small loaf of bread? Ain’t nobody got time for that. We’re not in the movie Contagion, there is no need to have bread cost more than $3.

fluffy pumpkin bread2

The reason I haven’t made my own pumpkin quick bread is kind of shameful, actually. My husband and I love the Pillsbury pumpkin quick bread mix. Like, seriously love it. It’s so easy to make and tastes pretty amazing. Plus, at the end of the day after making 4+ recipes for work, sometimes I don’t want to cook for the two of us. Sometimes I just want to eat bread that I don’t have to measure and can be done in less than 20 minutes.

Best pumpkin bread

But as my slightly pudgy belly will tell you, prepackaged bread mixes are filled with things I don’t know and aren’t doing any favors for my already tight jeans. So in a continued effort to lose weight (6 pounds down, only 14 more to go!), I thought I’d make my own and lighten it up.

Best pumpkin bread8

This bread is so soft, so fluffy and so filled with rich pumpkin flavor, you won’t even know it’s got more than half the fat as regular bread (even my trusted Pillsbury recipe!) The best part, though, is that it’s just as easy as a box mix. So now I have absolutely no excuse to buy boxes of bread mix when I can just make this even better recipe at home.

As good as this bread is, I’d still never sell it for $7. Crazy rich Virginia people.

Easy Pumpkin Bread

Fluffy and delicious pumpkin bread

CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!

Serves about 8 – 10. Inspired by Once Upon a Chef.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 65 – 70 minutes
Total time: 80 minutes

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Dash of salt
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 15 ounce can pumpkin puree

For the topping:

  • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a standard size loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. To make the bread, whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice together. In another bowl, beat the brown sugar, applesauce, butter and eggs, one at a time, until light, fluffy and fully mixed. Add the pumpkin puree and flour mixture, stir to combine.
  3. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 65 – 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 5 – 10 minutes, then remove and completely cool on a wire cooling rack.
  4. Prepare the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar, cream and vanilla. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the loaf and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Serve with butter or your favorite topping.

Nutritional information per slice:

Calories: 300 
Fat: 8.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 49.3 grams
Fiber: 2.5 grams
Protein: 6.8 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 7

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Comments

  1. Friday, October 24th, 2014
    This looks beyond amazing. The crumb on this loaf is perfect!!
  2. Friday, October 24th, 2014
    Yes! Can't wait to try this :) Isn't it funny, as a food blogger, we always try to come up with something new and exciting, but sometimes it's nice to go back to the basics. This looks absolutely wonderful :)
  3. Posted by The Food Hunter on
    Friday, October 24th, 2014
    I'll be trying it
  4. Posted by Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom on
    Friday, October 24th, 2014
    Love all those nuts on top! Its perfect looking!
  5. Posted by Medeja on
    Saturday, October 25th, 2014
    This bread looks yummy!
  6. Saturday, October 25th, 2014
    What a gorgeous pumpkin bread - nothing better for snacking on this time of year oh and three cheers for slightly pudgy bellies - it just means we love good food and aren't teenagers anymore, lol!
  7. Saturday, October 25th, 2014
    I love pumpkin bread but the topping here is doing it for me more than anything! So delicious!
  8. Posted by christne on
    Saturday, October 25th, 2014
    the topping. the icing. I don't know where to start! I'm actually not sure I have ever made pumpkin bread either. I need to rectify this situation immediately.
  9. Sunday, October 26th, 2014
    This pumpkin bread is just PERFECT!
  10. Posted by Nutmeg Nanny on
    Sunday, October 26th, 2014
    I love making pumpkin bread. It's so heart and delicious.
  11. Monday, October 27th, 2014
    Ha! You are a pumpkin baking/cooking master but yes, you were really missing the basic....great way of doing so, cause this pumpkin bread looks amazing!