The Domestic Rebel

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The Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe

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This Pumpkin Bread is the BEST EVER! Soft, fluffy, moist and tender with perfect pumpkin spice flavor! So easy, you probably have all the ingredients on hand! This Best-Ever Pumpkin Bread is incredible! Moist, soft and fluffy with a tender crumb and bursting with pumpkin spice flavor! So easy, so wonderful!

So yesterday was pretty much like any other day.

I work all day long: baking, photographing stuff, editing, cleaning, and no less than 18 loads of dishes. And a peeking into the living room to see what the big deal is on Let’s Make A Deal. If you didn’t know I was 25, would you guess I was 80? I would.

Yesterday’s highlights were that I found an almond in my bra at the end of the day, and that I also got a cake pan in the mail. Ironically, yesterday’s lowlights were that I found an almond in my bra and that I also got a cake pan in the mail.

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My life is exceptionally more boring than yours, no contest.

So much so, that I don’t even really have real-life friends. I have my blog friends of course, but friends I text my dating woes to? Friends I share good news with? Friends I bitch about bad days with? A friend to tell my exciting cake pan news, or ruminate over how I found an almond in my undergarments? I have no one really, and it’s painfully lonely sometimes.

No one tells you when you’re older that it’s so hard to cultivate relationships, especially when you work from home. Whenever I try to reach out to my >2 friends from high school, they never respond to my texts. In fact, neither of them even bothered to show up to my book signing or my little book party I slaved over a couple weekends ago. It makes me realize we’ve simply drifted apart of natural causes, so to speak. In other words, there was no one-event that caused our friendship to fissure; we just faded away, have nothing more in common, and if they couldn’t even bother to shoot me a text saying they couldn’t make it (and I know they could have – I saw the selfies posted from that day), then maybe I don’t need them in my life any longer.

Sorry I’m waxing philosophical, but I felt like I needed to get this off my chest… much like that lone almond. Maybe you are a young professional who doesn’t have many friends, either. Or maybe you’re feeling the same way I am: that a new season is approaching, and another season is passing that you haven’t spoken to some “friends” in awhile who haven’t texted you back. I’m here to let ya know that I’m here for you, and I understand.

And to also let you know that in this day of social-media craziness, that it’s perfectly okay to unfollow. Relieve yourself of the burden of a dead friendship. Cut the ties that bound you two together by fond memories of the past, but nothing from the present. Feel free! And find yo’self some new buddies to eat almonds with!

I know this had nothing to do with Pumpkin Bread, but that’s okay. Pumpkin Bread is my only friend right now, so I’m taking what I can get.

This Pumpkin Bread is my favorite pumpkin bread recipe, hands-down. I posted a Chocolate Chip version last year, and the original Brown-Butter Maple Glazed bread a couple years ago, but sometimes you just want a plain ol’ slice of pumpkin bread with no frills. I hear you. That is this bread!

Make it. And then call your friend and see if they want to share with you!

This Pumpkin Bread is the BEST EVER! Soft, fluffy, moist and tender with perfect pumpkin spice flavor! So easy, you probably have all the ingredients on hand!

4.7 from 15 reviews
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The Best Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Author: 
Recipe type: Breakfast
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
This Best-Ever Pumpkin Bread is my absolute favorite! So moist, fluffy and with a buttery, tender crumb. Glaze it, stuff it, or dust it with powdered sugar, or eat it as is. It's a keeper!
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 & ½ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease an 8-or-9" loaf pan with cooking spray and place the loaf pan on a baking sheet in case of any spill-over.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs and pumpkin and beat to combine. Add in the spices, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour and mix to combine, careful not to overmix. Mixture may be slightly lumpy; this is okay! Overmixing will lead to tough bread.
  3. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake for approx. 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist, not wet, crumbs. Cool for at least 20 minutes before inverting on a wire rack to cool completely, or let cool completely in the pan. Cut into slices!
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This Pumpkin Bread is the BEST EVER! Soft, fluffy, moist and tender with perfect pumpkin spice flavor! So easy, you probably have all the ingredients on hand! Moist, fluffy, tender and packed with amazing pumpkin spice flavor, this bread is a total keeper!

This Pumpkin Bread is the BEST EVER! Soft, fluffy, moist and tender with perfect pumpkin spice flavor! So easy, you probably have all the ingredients on hand! Have a wonderful day!

xo, Hayley

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Comments

  1. Funny you should post this today. I reset my phone yesterday and lost all my contacts (long story). A first I freaked out, but then I took it as a sign from the Universe. It’s my sign that I need to start fresh and make new friends and stop reaching out to old friends. They can get at me if and when they want. Anyway, just wanted to say you’re not alone. You’re young and you have a big, bright future ahead of you xo

    Reply

    • Karen, that definitely sounds like a sign from the Universe! I appreciate your sweet words and hope you find some quality friends of your own soon too!

      Reply

  2. You are definitely not alone! I’ll be your second almond! You have no idea how many people you reach everyday, Hayley. Thank you for posting your sentiments, though, and showing that even though you do let us into your world, it still can be lonely in the social sphere of the web. I envy you though; you are so young! I am 10 years older than you, I have no contact with any of my former classmates, and definitely feel the pain of loneliness. It hurts and it is very real–physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I know you will find the community that you fit into, just like another pea in the pod. You are too sweet of a person not to. Don’t isolate yourself. It can be a living hell.
    ~Amanda

    Reply

    • Amanda, thank you for your kind words! I appreciate them, and I feel for you, too. It’s so hard to make friends when you’re older (and I say that even as a 25-year old) and especially when you’re isolated as a self-employed person. I hope you find some connections with your classmates soon, or someone else you can build a friendship with. Best! xoxo!

      Reply

  3. I want to slather this up with butter and just snuggle under a blanket with my cat. Who cares if I get a crumb or two on the sofa?

    I don’t have a lot of friends I see in person, but that’s because I moved a year ago and was swamped with life things, so I didn’t have time to make friends. And then I was sinking into depression, so I didn’t *want* to make friends, either.

    But, in places I have lived before, I’ve had good luck with Meetup. It’s like eharmony, but for friends. And you usually meet in a group, so there’s no awkward one-on-one type of thing. It’s fun!

    Reply

    • Hi Annie! I feel you – I was depressed for a long time and it was hard – and still is hard – to see through the fog of not wanting to leave the house and get out and meet people. I’ve tried Meetup, but unfortunately there are no groups for younger professionals and a lot of the groups have age restrictions, like 40+. I’ll keep trying! xoxo!

      Reply

      • Not sure that you’ll see this, since the other posts are from 2016, nonetheless I wanted you to know that your post tugged at my heart. I’m old enough to be your mother, and know how difficult friendships can be. My daughter had recently moved and needed to make new friends. She’s a very social person. The Bumble app worked for her. She now has close friends to go out with, play games with, talk with and both she and her boyfriend have enjoyed these new friendships. I hope things are good for you now. I have a feeling they’ve always been good, just some times are better than others.

        FYI, I made your pumpkin bread recipe. It’s baking while I type. Yum yum

        Reply

        • Hi Kim, thanks for your sweet words! It is so hard to make friends and keep friendships alive in this day in age. I’m still struggling, but I’m far less lonely than I was back then. Thanks for your comment. Hugs!

          Reply

  4. I’ve been following your blog for quite some time and have always been shy to post a comment. I just want to spread the love and let you know how incredibly fabulous and hilarious you are! Your recipes AND your style of writing are truly make my day. I’m over the moon happy for you that your recipes are now in a book (available in a beautiful hardcopy!) and that you have another one on the way! Seriously, you deserve all the amazing-ness that has and will come your way. 🙂

    Reply

    • And to comment on your post today — you are not alone. 🙂 Totally understand how you feel and have been there before; feeling like you’re alone, “where are all my IRL friends?!”. Don’t you worry — things will work out as how they should AND you’re bound to find and come across people that fit in your life and bring you nothing but laughs and positivity. 🙂

      Reply

  5. Gorgeous photos! And the pumpkin bread looks delicious. I love pumpkin bread, especially when it’s nice and moist. I love the color, mine usually gets a dark brown. Have to try yours out. And I second what the others say, lots of people are there for you even if you cant see them face to face!

    Reply

  6. Hayley,I SOOO hear you!!Am a 55 year old SAHM.Say loosely,as only my 18 year old is left.Although I still make her bed…WT FRANK?!Am a total and unequivocal,social butterfly,with nad,zilch,zero friends.As well as,I realized that my “best friend from high school”;is a total fake,dickhead that thrived on making the skinny “b”feel like “sh..”every Christmas,with her brag fest on her perfect kids,husband,job…EVEN when I was literally bedridden(3+years)with sickness!Never help or comfort.WHEW!I think you are awesome!Would have given away what is left of my bowels(another story);to be at your book signing.Will be YOUR friend,if you will be mine!Won’t ya be my neighbor!What?!Sidetracked.Have ADHD!!So you are not alone.You are published?Have a fantastic blog!(Jealousand jealous).Come to Arizona and hang by the pool.😂Thanks for letting me rant!!Feel like baking now!!

    Reply

    • Teri, you are so sweet! Thank you for your kind words. I am so sorry your HS friend was such a fake. I hate that!

      Reply

  7. You may have met me thru our blogs but I would like to think we are friends outside of the blogging world. Friendships are hard and as we get older only certain ones stick, people change, lives change and often its no ones faulty but its kind of nice when you can just accept it and move on from “what used to be”. You are a gorgeous human being and if some eff tards didn’t go to your book party it’s their effing loss! If only there wasn’t a whopping 9 hours between us I would have been there. And I’d gladly come over for this pumpkin bread too!

    Reply

  8. I can’t wait to try this recipe – just found your blog via Pinterest. I completely feel you on the friend portion of your post – I work from home, and friends are hard to find in my world of acquaintances. It gets lonely for sure, especially living in a small town where you’ve pretty much met everyone already. Just wanted to thank you for the recipe, and for your post. Makes me feel a llittle more connected. 😊

    Reply

    • Sarah, thank you so much for your sweet comment. I’m glad I’m not the only one, but I also wish you the best in finding some like-minded friends of your own, too! It’s so hard as an adult to make friends!

      Reply

  9. I just found your recipe on pinterest and it looks amazing! it’s the perfect timing, too, as it just got colder and Autumn is finally in the air. I have 2 questions: can I use fresh ginger and how do you make the pumpkin puree? I can’t find it canned where I live but I happen to have a small pumpkin sitting on my counter. Can I just roast it and puree it? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi Luisa! Yes, you can roast your pumpkin and puree it – I don’t have a recipe for that as I’ve never done it before personally, but I know you can do it. And yes, you can use fresh ginger but the ginger flavor will be much more pronounced!

      Reply

  10. This recipe is fantastic!! I made it twice in one weekend and everyone loved it. It’s not too sweet like a cake, and is a great texture, plus it tastes AMAZING. I love all the spices. A perfect fall loaf, and super easy to make. It’s great with a big mug of hot cocoa too! Thank you for sharing the recipe!!

    Reply

  11. Although this was good average pumpkin bread, I was not wowed by it. I would use 2c of pumpkin and cut back a bit on the spices.

    Reply

  12. Hello, I’m baking the pumpkin bread recipe right now, with the glaze, it smells so good! Love to get more of your recipies,

    Reply

  14. I made this today . Turned out great. Thanks for posting. It’ll be staying in my yummy, make again collection. 🙂

    Reply

  15. I just tried this recipe , the texture is amazing but it’s not sweet enough for my taste. I thinking I’m going to make some frosting to put on top. Just one persons opinion.

    Reply

  16. Has anyone ever tried this recipe in a muffin pan? I tried this recipe in my glass loaf pan and it was burnt on the outside and undercooked inside…. So I thought it might work as muffins, at least for me.

    Reply

  17. I have to say this was absolutely delicious! I made this recipe as well as a different one from another site that had hundreds of 4+ star reviews. The other one is disgusting. This one was so good! I found it had a very subtle spice taste. It was not overpowering at all and I like things really plain. Seriously delicious. Just came out of the oven and I couldn’t wait to eat it!

    Reply

    • Thanks so much for your awesome review, Jen! So happy to hear you enjoyed it. The spice can be altered for your taste, so in the future if you make it for someone who enjoys robust spices, it can be tinkered with! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!

      Reply

      • Can I use the pumpkin pie spice in place of the individual spices? If so how much? Super excited to try this recipe 🙂

        Reply

  18. Hey!!! What I honestly think you should do is just make more friends!! I know it sounds easier than it is but take a brake from blogging, and go to a cooking class, join a book club, or pick up a sport like tennis. Feeling bad for yourself doesn’t get you any where!! I bet you are a really nice and fun person, you just need to try and meet new people! They were your high school friends, are they rlly going to stick around?? Probably not for any one. Go meet new people and have fun, take a break and go do something! Your blog is awesome and I am trying your pumpkin bread but I think you need to branch out. Good luck!!

    Reply

  19. I did not think this was the best pumpkin bread. (Or even close) I doubled the recipe so I could taste one and give one but when I tasted it, I didn’t want to gift it. I have the out of the box Desserts book and I love it. Just not this recipe.

    Reply

  20. Just made this, I love tell light and fluffy the batter was before baking! I have not tried it yet, just pulled it out of the oven. Mine looked almost burned, very dark, and the center of the loaf imploded. Baked for 55 minutes, checking it every five minutes after being in for 40. What could I do to prevent this? Maybe tinfoil for keeping it from getting too dark but what could I do to keep the center from falling it?

    Reply

    • Hi Megan! So a couple of things: if you use a glass pan, that could contribute to the bread not baking as evenly around the same timeframe as I have listed. Second, over-mixing will result in the bread sinking in the middle – the key is to barely mix the batter together. Hope this helps for next time!

      Reply

  22. I made this recipe last night, and it’s delicious but I felt like it was missing something. I did some recipe research and realized this recipe is missing salt. Then I came across your recipe with the brown butter maple glaze and sure enough the only difference between your two bread recipes is salt. I was wondering if you did that on purpose. Otherwise, I can’t wait to try this again with the glaze!

    Reply

    • Hi Kelcie! I have not tried it, but I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work! Let me know if you try it.

      Reply

  25. I have to say, this is the best pumpkin bread recipe I’ve ever made! My kids (who are super picky) ask for this everyday since the first time I made this 2 week’s ago. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  27. I empathize with friends not getting back with you, even via text. It’s hurtful. Given that everyone has their phone 24/7, it seems the least people can do is show the courtesy of a sentence or two of text apologizing for not being able to attend whatever was proposed! 🙁 It is my experience that when people have been left out in the past, they tend to not do that to others; that’s me, anyway. It’s frustrating, but probably a sign to let the past be the past. It is hard when friendships vanish without any notice! Thanks for posting about this.

    Reply

    • Hi Kristina, that’s a really good point. I’m the same way – I know how hurtful it is to be left out or flaked on so I try my hardest to ensure I don’t do that to others. Just wishing people had the same courtesy!

      Reply

  28. Made this and added a walnut streusel top. It’s extremely moist and to me tastes even better the next day. 😍

    Reply

    • Hi June! Because there’s some salt in the ingredients list already, I would recommend unsalted butter. However, if you only have salted butter, omit the actual kosher salt from the recipe.

      Reply

  31. This is a wonderful recipe it just made my day! Thanks for posting Hayley, also thanks for writing your whole day story, we the women who work from home get this kind of days all the time and its okay to feel dissapointed and maybe a little bit sad, but its important to always be thankful for what we have, even more thankful for the negative people that god is kicking out of your life, dont loose your hope youll find great friends with the time and theyll be worth it, we your blog friends are here for you anytime too! Have a great day!

    Xo!
    -Ana W

    Reply

  33. Aww, I was looking for a pumpkin bread recipe because I have pumpkin puree on hand, but few good snacks and we are broke and my kids want to break into their snacks for school lunch. I saw your post about not having friends and being that that was a year and a half ago, I hope things are looking up now, but thank you for speaking out about this because as you can see, you are SO not alone. SO many people feel this way. Maybe it’s the result of the internet and social media, IDK, but lots of people are suffering this. I don’t know where you live and not sure you want to share that publicly, but you likely have neighbors who feel the same as well. Since you are already baking for a living, maybe knock on doors and share some of your wonderful cooking with your neighbors and get to know them. Start a neighborhood watch for your neighborhood on FB and invite them to join. Someone did that for our neighborhood and I’m seeing neighbors getting to know each other through it. Sometimes there is ugliness there, but there is also a lot of sweetness and teamwork. I’m an introvert myself and I have young children and work outside the home the majority of my waking hours and often more comfortable being social online. It’s too difficult trying to find time (and prying my kids off my leg while they beg me not to leave) to hang out with people. I love to read and with kids there is no time so I was using my lunch break at work to be by myself and read. Just recently started socializing with my coworkers more at lunch (but never outside of work). I met a woman at church who said has no friends and I offered to be her friend, but she is more extroverted than I and I know I’m letting her down a lot by not being able to get away for one on one “girl’s day out”. Understand that many people do feel too overwhelmed to maintain friendships and it’s generally not personal. But after lamenting for many years that I had no friends (and my DH telling me it’s because I don’t drink), I realized that there are so many people out there who feel they don’t have friends and I need to be on the look out for them. At a homeless outreach yesterday, I learned that the homeless rarely have anyone they can talk to who will listen, so they love if people will just take the time to talk to them. Love and warmth and hugs to you from NorCal! May you be blessed with all the close friendships you need and can handle!

    Reply

  34. Excellent pumpkin bread, but I added nutella on the top because it wasn’t sweet enough for me and I want my 15 year old to eat it!
    He loved it…and it’s already almost gone. Very easy to make, so I’ll make it again. Thanks.

    Reply

  35. Hi, I just made this using some Candy Roaster squash puree instead of pumpkin and it was excellent. The recipe delivered exactly as promised: it was moist, soft and fluffy. Thank you for posting this!

    Reply

  37. Hi Hayley. Your recipe looks delicious. I plan on making several loaves to give as little “grateful for you” gifts at Thanksgiving. Would your recipe be okay to bake in disposable aluminum loaf pans? Also, I think I am going to add pecans to the batter or a maple/honey glaze with toasted chopped pecans to the top. What do you think?

    Reply

    • Hi Hollister! I ONLY bake my loaves in disposable pans. I find they create the most consistent result!

      Reply

  38. Hi Hayley,

    I stumbled across this recipe while looking for something to soothe my pumpkin craving. I live in the UK now and every now and then, I hanker for some good old fashioned American comfort food. This bread absolutely ticks that box! Thank you!!

    Also, as it’s been two years since you posted this, I hope that you’ve managed to rid of yourself of those fair weather friends and gain some better ones! xoxo

    Reply

  39. Good morning! I’m noshing on my first slice of this delicious bread. Love all the spices both during baking and in taste. My house smells good! One question, my loaf does not look like your photo (not that I would really expect it to) but I bring it up because its a bit flat. I did not overmix, in fact perhaps the opposite. May just used a smaller pan but I wanted to ask if putting a small amount of baking powder in the loaf would achieve a higher rise. Note my loaf isn’t dense, the texture seems just right.

    Reply

  40. Used a smaller pan this time and the height did improve.the height but still not the same as yours. Tastes great though so I’m just going to go with the fact I’m not a food blogger lol Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  41. My search for the perfect pumpkin bread is over! This bread has a nice texture, is easy to slice, spices come through beautifully, and it’s easy to make. Perfection! Thank you!

    Reply

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