If you love pumpkin, you HAVE to try this easy pumpkin bread recipe! Moist, warmly spiced, and filled with pumpkin flavor, it’s the perfect fall treat.

This pumpkin bread recipe is super moist, warmly spiced, and filled with delicious pumpkin flavor. It’s one of my favorite fall recipes, and I make at least one loaf every year. On a crisp fall day, you can’t beat the smell of homemade pumpkin bread baking in the oven!

I first published this pumpkin bread recipe in 2019, and I’ve since updated it to include even more pumpkin and warm spices. This version has a moister texture and richer fall flavor…and it’s completely impossible for me to eat just one slice at a time. I think it’s the best pumpkin bread I’ve tried. I hope you love it too!

Pumpkin Bread Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy pumpkin bread recipe:

• Pumpkin, of course! I tested this recipe two ways: using a full (15-ounce) can of pumpkin and using slightly less, 1 1/2 cups. While I hate to leave you with leftover pumpkin, I found that using 1 1/2 cups gave the loaf a better texture. It’s super moist, but not dense. You’ll have a few tablespoons of pumpkin puree leftover—perfect for making a pumpkin spice latte! Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. I like Libby’s.
• All-purpose flour – Spoon and level it to avoid packing too much into your measuring cup.
• Vegetable oil – For moisture and richness. Another neutral oil, such as avocado or canola oil, would work here too!
• Milk – Use whatever kind you keep on hand. Regular milk, almond milk, and oat milk are all great choices.
• Baking powder, baking soda, and eggs – They help the loaf puff up as it bakes.
• Cane sugar – For sweetness.
• Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves – For warm, cozy fall flavor. A tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice works too.
• Vanilla extract – It enhances the spices’ warm flavor.
• And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Pumpkin Bread

This pumpkin bread recipe is so easy to make! Here’s how it goes:

First, make the batter. Whisk together the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t overmix, or the pumpkin bread will be dense.

Then, bake. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350°F until the top springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.

• Tip: Check the loaf after 45 minutes in the oven. If the top is browned, tent it with foil for the remaining bake time so that it doesn’t get too dark before the loaf cooks through.

Let the quick bread cool completely before slicing and serving.

Finally, enjoy! Devour a slice plain, or slather it with butter or honey butter. Leftover pumpkin bread keeps well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For longer storage, wrap slices in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the slices to thaw at room temperature, or unwrap and defrost them in the microwave for about 30 seconds.

Pumpkin Bread Recipe Variations

Do you like nuts, fruit, or chocolate in your pumpkin bread? Feel free to adapt this recipe to suit your tastes. Here are a few fun ways to change it up:

• Add some crunch. Stir in 1/2 cup of your favorite chopped nuts, and sprinkle some on top. Chopped pecans or walnuts would be especially good!
• Make it fruity. Fold 1/2 cup dried cranberries, dried tart cherries, raisins, or chopped dates into the batter.
• Go the chocolate route. Fold 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips into the batter. Scatter more on top for good measure!
• Frost it. Craving a more decadent treat? Slather this loaf with my tangy cream cheese frosting!

Let me know what variations you try!

More Favorite Pumpkin Recipes

If you love this homemade pumpkin bread, try one of these delicious pumpkin recipes next:

Can’t get enough quick bread? You’ll love my banana bread and zucchini bread too!

Pumpkin Bread

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Serves 8

The BEST pumpkin bread recipe! A delicious fall treat, it’s super moist and warmly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8×4 or 9×5-inch loaf pan.

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, salt, cloves, and nutmeg.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla until smooth.

• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. The batter will be thick.

• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the top springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. I like to check the loaf after 45 minutes. If the top is nicely browned, I cover it with foil for the remaining bake time to prevent further browning.

• Allow to cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.

*1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin puree contains about 1 3/4 cups, so you’ll have a little leftover. Use it to make a pumpkin spice latte, or stir it into overnight oats. I’ve also tested this recipe using the entire can of pumpkin. It still works, but the loaf bakes less evenly and has a denser texture at the bottom.

Homemade Caramel Hostess Cupcake Cake. Sweet, nostalgic, a little messy, and so much fun! This is my homemade take on the classic Hostess cupcake — but with a twist. Rich chocolate cake layers made with cocoa powder and dark chocolate, sandwiched together with a gooey caramel-marshmallow creme, then finished with a creamy chocolate glaze. It’s indulgent, over-the-top, and the perfect cake to share. Just know, it’s a little messy…but that’s exactly what makes it so delicious!

I baked this cake for the long weekend, and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you!

When I first started testing, the plan was to make a simple hostess sheet cake with the classic marshmallow fluff filling — just like my Homemade Hostess Cupcakes, only bigger. That would have been good, but mid-bake I got bored and decided to change things up.

So I called my mom (very urgent, of course) and went on for five minutes about fillings. Together we landed on the idea of a caramel-marshmallow creme made with butter, brown sugar, and a bag of mini marshmallows. We both knew immediately it would be SO much better — and it was.

Because of the marshmallows, the cake is stickier and a little more rustic-looking than most layer cakes. But don’t worry about perfection — the gooeyness is what makes every bite extra yummy.

Here are the details

Cake Ingredients:

• salted butter
• eggs
• buttermilk
• plain Greek yogurt – or use sour cream
• granulated sugar
• vanilla extract
• all-purpose flour
• cocoa powder
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt
• hot brewed coffee
• semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (optional)

Caramel Marshmallow Fluff Ingredients:

• salted butter
• dark brown sugar
• flaked sea salt
• mini marshmallows

Glaze Ingredients:

• chocolate chips
• whole milk
• white chocolate

Special Tools

For this sheet cake, you’ll need a rectangular cake pan, a mixing bowl, an electric mixer, and a medium pot for making the filling and melting the chocolate.

Steps

Step 1: Make the cake batter

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and the wet ingredients: melted coconut oil, eggs, buttermilk, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), and vanilla.

Stir in the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Lastly, mix in the hot coffee (if you don’t love baking with coffee, you can use hot water or milk, but the coffee really brings out the chocolate flavor without overpowering it).

Step 2: Bake the cake

Pour the batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan and bake until set. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before adding the filling.

Step 3: Make the caramel marshmallow fluff

In a saucepan, melt a stick of salted butter with dark brown sugar and a splash of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add a pinch of flaky sea salt, if you’d like.

Stir in the mini marshmallows and keep stirring until they’re completely melted into a smooth caramel fluff.

Step 4: Add the filling

Once the cake is cool, quickly pour the caramel marshmallow fluff over top. Spread it out evenly with a spatula, leaving a small border around the edges so it doesn’t spill down the sides. The fluff will begin to set as it cools, so work fast. Let it set for at least 30 minutes (longer is even better).

Step 5: Make the glaze

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt semi-sweet chocolate chips with milk or heavy cream until smooth and glossy. Add a pinch of salt for extra flavor.

Step 6: Glaze and decorate

Slowly pour the glaze over the caramel fluff, spreading it gently to the edges without pressing too hard. Let the glaze set for at least 1 hour.

Melt a little white chocolate and transfer it to a piping bag (or zip-top bag with the corner snipped). Pipe loops across the top of the cake. Don’t stress about perfection — the more imperfect they are, the cuter they look!

Step 7: Slice and enjoy

Once fully set, slice the cake into squares using a sharp knife. It is helpful to run the knife under hot water, dry it, then slice. This will give you cleaner slices. Just prepare yourself, the slices won’t be perfectly clean (marshmallow is sticky!), but embrace the mess — it’s all part of the fun.

Every bite is rich chocolate cake, gooey caramel marshmallow, and fudgy glaze. Honestly, so much better than any store-bought Hostess Cupcake!

Looking for easy party desserts? Here are a few ideas: 

Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Crinkle Top Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies

Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Twix Bars

Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting

Retro-Style Chocolate Sheet Cake

Lastly, if you make this Homemade Caramel Hostess Cupcake Cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!