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Easy Pumpkin Bread (The Blotting Trick for a Perfect Crumb)

A rich, spiced pumpkin bread with a blotted-puree trick and nutty browned butter for a moist, never-gummy crumb.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (plus cooling)
  • Yield: 1 loaf (10 slices) 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree, blotted dry (see notes)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
  2. Spread the pumpkin puree over a few layers of paper towels, press gently to draw out excess liquid, let sit 5 minutes, then scrape into a large bowl.
  3. Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, swirling often, until the milk solids turn amber and it smells toasted, 4-5 minutes. Pour into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
  4. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and black pepper together in a separate bowl.
  5. Whisk the browned butter, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla into the blotted pumpkin puree until smooth.
  6. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no streaks of flour remain; fold in the nuts if using. Do not overmix.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 55-65 minutes, tenting loosely with foil after 40 minutes if the top is browning too fast.
  8. Check at 55 minutes with a skewer — it should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Blotting the puree is non-negotiable — skip it and you’re back to a gummy center no matter how long you bake. Store the loaf wrapped at room temperature for 3 days, or refrigerate up to a week; it also freezes well for up to 3 months, sliced and wrapped individually. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves.

  • Author: Ella Whitley
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60 minutes
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American