The Best Pumpkin Bread Ever

I know titling my first post the best EVER might sound a bit over the top, but trust me when I say this pumpkin bread will change your life. It's like a warm hug wrapped in treat form, and with just one bite, you'll be wrapped in the comforting embrace of autumn.

When I first embarked on my baking and cooking journey at the age of 20, I had no clue what I was doing-just a passion for good food and sharing it with the people I loved. One of the very first recipes I ever tackled was the pumpkin bread from Once Upon a Chef, a cherished family recipe clipped by the author's grandmother from a magazine. I fell head over heels for it! It was so delicious that I knew I had to make it my own.The recipe I'm sharing today is heavily influenced by Jenn Segal's original (which you should definitely check out because it's simply amazing), and you can find her recipe by clicking on her name above!

So, grab your favorite cozy sweater, put on some jazzy tunes, and let's get to baking.

Pumpkin Bread

By: Alexia Ramirez

Servings: Makes 2 standard loaves or one large loaf (see notes below)

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsps ground cloves

1/2 tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1& 1/2 sticks unsalted, melted butter

2 cups light or dark brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tbsps pepitas (pumpkin seeds) (optional)

1 (15-oz) can pumpkin

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325 fahrenheit or 165 celsius. Grease either two standard loaf pans or one large loaf pan. (See notes below) Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the melted butter with the brown sugar. Slowly whisk the mixture together until it is well combined.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, and then add in the vanilla extract, and then the can of pumpkin. The batter will not be smooth! It should look textured and a little grainy.

Whisk in the cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, cloves and salt. Then slowly begin to combine the flour with the mixture. I prefer to add the flour in about 1/2 cup at a time, that way I can decide exactly when I want to switch to a spatula.

Once the flour is fully incorporated into the batter, gently fold in the pepitas.

Pour the batter into your tin(s) of choice and gently tap them on the counter to pop any excess air bubbles.

Place into the heated oven and bake for around 1 hour and 30 minutes. If using two pans, the time will be lowered to about 60 minutes. Test for doneness by placing a toothpick into the center of the loaf, if it comes out clean, it's read to come out of the oven!

Allow to cool on the counter in the pan for around 30 minutes before flipping on to a wire rack to continue cooling. Slice and enjoy!

Now wasn't that simple!? Let me know what you think of this recipe!

Notes:

For this recipe I am using my Nordic Ware loaf pan which is significantly larger than your standard loaf pan, and has around a six cup capacity. If using a similar sized pan, this recipe will yield one loaf, and should be baked for around 130 minutes/ 1& 1/2 hours. I like to check for doneness starting at around an hour and fifteen minutes and will adjust the time as needed!