Whole-Can Pumpkin Bread

Leftover pumpkin puree? Who is she?

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 70 mins

Cooling: 60 mins

Total: 2 hrs 25 mins

Servings: 8 servings

Yield: 1 (9 x 5-inch) loaf

It’s the season for pumpkin bread, but that means it’s also the season for a tiny container of leftover pumpkin puree spoiling in the nether regions of the fridge. Why does it seem like every pumpkin bread recipe uses just one cup pumpkin puree? Well, that’s why this recipe uses the whole can. That’s right! A whole can of pumpkin in a beautifully light loaf.

The Key To Whole-Can Pumpkin Bread

The trick to using that whole can without making a dense, gummy loaf is to add juuuust enough flour (but not too much!), the perfect amount of leavener, and three eggs for a lifted crumb and a slight doming effect. No whipping egg whites, no gimmicky ingredients. Just pure pumpkin flavor with a back note of warm spices and dark chocolate chips to add bittersweet richness.

Tasty Additions To Pumpkin Bread

This super easy pumpkin loaf is perfect just the way it is, but it can also be the ideal recipe if you want to play with flavors. Stir in toasted pecans or candied ginger, drizzle a tangy cream cheese icing on top, or make the cream cheese mixture from this brownie recipe and swirl it into the batter before baking. It’s hard to go wrong with such a perfect loaf.

Serving Pumpkin Bread

You probably don’t need us to tell you how to enjoy this pumpkin bread, but might we humbly suggest spreading slices with softened cream cheese, maple butter, or just one of our favorite fancy butters. This loaf pairs perfectly with a cup of steaming hot black tea or a mug of coffee, but if you’re really in the mood for fall flavors, a pumpkin spice latte is another great choice.

Tips for Making Pumpkin Bread

• Divide the chocolate for even distribution—Dividing the chocolate chips (folding in some and sprinkling the top with the remainder) ensures that chocolate is evenly distributed throughout the bread after it has risen in the pan.
• Use oil for a moist loaf—While we all love butter, we recommend using a neutral oil, like canola or avocado oil, for this loaf. Oil keeps the loaf moist and fresh longer than butter, and even right out of the fridge the bread will be soft and tender (butter hardens in the fridge).

«This is a classic pumpkin loaf — it is tender and moist and nicely pumpkin-forward with a mellow, earthy, and sweet flavor. It has just a hint of warm spice, it definitely skews more ‘pumpkin loaf’ than ‘pumpkin spice loaf’.»—The Spruce Eats Test Kitchen

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

• Baking spray with flour

• 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (about 1 3/4 cups)

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup packed (100 grams) light brown sugar

• 1/2 cup neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil

• 3/4 cup (122 grams) dark chocolate chips, divided

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Generously coat a  9- by 5-inch loaf pan with baking spray.

   

2. Whisk together 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice in a medium bowl; set aside.

   

3. Whisk together 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (about 1 3/4 cups), 3 large eggs, 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup packed (100 grams) light brown sugar, and 1/2 cup neutral oil in a large bowl until combined.

   

4. Whisk flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined. Fold in 1/2 cup (81 grams) dark chocolate chips. 

   

5. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top into an even layer, and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup (41 grams) dark chocolate chips. 

   

6. Bake until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes, tenting with aluminum foil if needed to prevent over browning. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. 

   

7. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on the wire rack, 30 to 60 minutes. 

   

How To Store

Wrap the completely cooled loaf tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Recipe Variations

• Use pumpkin spice—The spices can be swapped out for a total of 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. Or, If you’re missing one or two of the more obscure spices like cloves or allspice, you can make up for it with pumpkin pie spice (for instance, if you’re missing 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, you can use 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice).
• Use different chocolate chips—Darker chocolate chips (60-70%) bring some richness and bitterness to the pumpkin bread, but semisweet, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate chips provide a nice option for the sweet tooth.
• Use chocolate chunks instead of chips—If you’d rather, you can substitute chocolate chunks for the chips or even chop a bar of dark chocolate and stir in the irregular chocolate shards.
• Add nuts—Substitute 1 cup chopped toasted nuts (pecans and walnuts, for example) for the chocolate. Or add 1/2 cup nuts in addition to the chocolate.
• Stir in ginger—Add 3/4 cup chopped candied ginger instead of the chocolate.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	509
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g	27%
Saturated Fat 5g	23%
Cholesterol 71mg	24%
Sodium 379mg	16%
Total Carbohydrate 75g	27%
Dietary Fiber 4g	13%
Total Sugars 46g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 2mg	11%
Calcium 101mg	8%
Iron 4mg	22%
Potassium 274mg	6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.