Description
This Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread recipe produces moist, flavorful loaves perfect for fall and holiday seasons, featuring a blend of warm spices and rich pumpkin puree for a classic, comforting treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup water
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Dry Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and thoroughly grease two 9-inch loaf pans to prevent sticking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, water, and granulated sugar. Mix well until all wet ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and cardamom to ensure even distribution of spices and leavening agents.
- Combine Mixtures: Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined and no dry spots remain. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Fill Loaf Pans and Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. Place in the oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes. To prevent over-browning, cover the loaves with foil during the last 20 minutes of baking.
- Cool the Bread: Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pans for about 15 minutes. Then transfer the loaves to a cooling rack until they reach room temperature before slicing for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Covering the top of the loaves with foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking helps avoid excessive browning.
- Ensure not to overmix the batter as it can lead to dense bread.
- For added texture and flavor, consider stirring in 1 cup chopped nuts or raisins.
- Loaves can be stored wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of a loaf)
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
