There’s something wonderful about the first day the heat of summer finally gives way to the crisp air of autumn. Windows are opened, the light shifts, and evenings arrive a little earlier and the change in season invites us back into the kitchen.
One of the simplest ways to mark the occasion is freshly baked pumpkin bread. The warm spices of cinnamon and nutmeg that fill the kitchen as it bakes and the deep orange color feels unmistakably autumn. It’s familiar, uncomplicated, and the perfect bite share with family and friends.
Our pumpkin bread recipe makes a few small twists on the classic, inspired by my grandma’s pumpkin roll recipe, to deepen the flavor while keeping everything we love about the original. Enjoy a slice with morning coffee, as an afternoon snack, or in the evening from your favorite chair.
It is the easiest way to welcome autumn into the home and kitchen.
Russell & Field Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
3 ½ cups (400g) all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon for the pecans, preferably King Arthur brand
1 15oz can (425g) pumpkin puree
1 cup (198g) vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2/3 cup (152g) water
1 cup (200g) white sugar
1 cup (220g) light brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoon salt, preferably Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon good vanilla extract
1 cup (113g) chopped pecans, optional
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease two loaf pans and line with parchment paper (the parchment paper is optional but makes it easy to remove the loaf from the pan.
In a large bowl, beat together the oil, sugars, pumpkin, eggs, and water.
In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add vanilla and stir until the flour is incorporated, careful not to over mix.
Dust the pecans with just a teaspoon of flour and add to the mix, if using.
Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pans.
Bake the bread for 60 to 80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool on a rack. When the loaf is completely cool, remove from the pan and enjoy. Wrap any remaining portion in plastic wrap.
Note: This recipe works well for muffins, too! Use paper cup liners to line two muffin tins. Make recipe as directed, spooning the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.