Easy One Bowl Pumpkin Bread ~ because that first craving for pumpkin is powerful. I clocked the prep for this delicious golden from-the-pantry quick bread at 15 minutes!

this pumpkin bread is made with a lightened-up spice blend
This classic pumpkin bread is everything you want when the urge for fall baking strikes ~ it’s easy, one-bowl, moist, simple, and delicious. It’s got a cozy, comforting texture and that soft, golden pumpkin-y glow that I just love this time of year. The recipe can be easily doubled if you want an extra loaf to bring into work or pack into lunchboxes.
The original recipe used nutmeg as the only spice. I liked the idea, because other spices like cinnamon and cloves can easily overpower, or you can end up with a very generic “pumpkin spice” sort of flavor. But, I couldn’t quite leave well enough alone, so I paired the nutmeg with a bit of ginger and a bit of cardamom. It’s a really nice, subtle blend that sets this loaf apart from the typical heavily-spiced pumpkin bread.
make this classic pumpkin bread your own
The recipe makes a simple, golden pumpkin bread from ingredients you undoubtedly already have in your pantry (canned pumpkin is absolutely a pantry staple ๐ Think of it as a blank canvas ready for your creativity!
- Add your favorite chopped nuts.ย Pecans and walnuts are traditional, but why not try hazelnuts or pistachios?
- Chocolate chips are a no brainer. ย I’m partial to dark chocolate.
- Dried fruit works so well in quick breads– try cranberries, or figs.
- Lay down a layer of green pepitas over the top of the batter before baking for a crunchy accent.
- Glaze the cooled bread with a simple confectioner’s sugar glaze. Create the glaze with milk or cream for a plain glaze. You can spice it with cinnamon or pumpkin spice if you like. You can also use maple syrup, orange juice, or any other liquid to create a flavored glaze.
- Drizzle the cooled cake with melted chocolate.
buttermilk is a key ingredient in this recipe
It keeps this pumpkin loaf extra tender and soft. Buttermilk, like yogurt or sour cream, is acidic. The acid actually helps to tenderize the gluten in baked goods like this quick bread. The buttermilk also helps the baking soda in the recipe do its job and rise the bread to make it light and fluffy.
no buttermilk in the fridge? make your own!
- Start with a cup of milk (or half and half, or even cream!)
- Add a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to the milk and stir.
- Let sit on the counter for 15 minutes and then use as directed in your recipe.
try grilling your pumpkin bread, New England style!
If you’ve ever lived in New England you’ll know that they enjoy their muffins split, buttered, and grilled. You can give this pumpkin bread the same treatment and it’s amazing!
more ways to enjoy pumpkin bread
- Turn this simple breakfast loaf into an unexpected fall dessert, I think it would be fantastic grilled and served with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
- Serve drizzled with Salted Maple Caramel Sauce.
Easy Buttermilk Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
- 9×5 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin, about 1/2 can
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and butter a 9 inch loaf pan. Line the pan with parchment paper if you’d like for easier removal.
- Whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, pumpkin, buttermilk and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom to the same bowl and mix together until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for about 60-70 minutes, until risen and there is no more wet batter in the middle.
When I find myself lacking (in the buttermilk department), I usually use an item I almost always have: plain Greek yogurt. Plain yogurt, Greek or regular, can be diluted with a little milk and works brilliantly as a buttermilk substitute. I place about 2/3 to 1/2 the required amount in a measuring cup, then fill to the proper amount with milk, Works every time! ๐
Thanks for that Carol. I’ll try it.
Could I halve the sugar in this recipe ?
The rule of thumb is that you can safely decrease sugar by about 1/4 to 1/3 in a recipe without too much trouble. More than that starts to affect things like texture, etc.
This is the best pumpkin bread I have made (or even had!). Perfectly moist with a great texture. I added cinnamon/sugar on top before baking. I also added approx 1/4 c brown sugar to the batter. The load itself tasted good enough, but for me, it did not have a ton of pumpkin flavor that I look for with a pumpkin bread. Easy to adjust the spices to your liking though. This recipe is a keeper!
Very moist, great flavor with the right mix of spices, I added rough chopped toasted pecans
My new favorite to add to gift baskets!
Sue, this is Ahhmazing! Thank you for such a wonderful and simple recipe. This bread is fantastic. I absolutely love the addition of ginger. Thank you for being so generous in sharing your recipes. My family loved it, even my oldest daughter who does not enjoy pumpkin bread.