Pumpkin Loaf Recipe | Soft, Moist & Easy to Make
Pumpkin Loaf | Soft, Moist & Full of Flavor
Welcome back to Bake with Paws! Today I’m excited to share one of my favorite cozy bakes — this Pumpkin Loaf. It’s incredibly soft, moist, and packed with natural pumpkin flavor, making it perfect for breakfast, tea time, or as a sweet gift.
Whether you’re using fresh pumpkin puree or canned, this recipe gives you a loaf that’s tender, beautifully spiced, and stays moist for days. Best of all, it’s simple to make and beginner-friendly.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Loaf
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Soft and moist crumb — thanks to pumpkin puree
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Naturally sweet and flavorful — no overpowering spices
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Easy, one-bowl recipe — no mixer required
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Stays fresh for days — perfect for make-ahead baking
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Freezer-friendly — bake now, enjoy later
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Versatile — great plain, glazed, or with add-ins like nuts or chocolate chips
How To Make Pumpkin Loaf / Bread
Ingredients You’ll Need (Yields: 1 Loaf)
450g Loaf pan with lid (20 X 10 X 10 cm) or (8" X 4" X 4")
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Mashed Pumpkin/Pumpkin Puree:
- Wash, peel, cut and steam the pumpkin for about 15 minutes. Mash with potato riser. Set aside to cool.
- Kneading:
- Put all ingredients (except butter) into a bowl of stand mixer.
- Slightly combine the mixture by hand with the hook attachment before turning on the machine so that the flour will not splash out.
- Knead for another 3 minutes or until the dough comes together. Add in butter and continue knead for 10 - 15 minutes or until the dough come together and achieve window pane stage. A reasonable window pane is good enough and it can be left to rest. Gluten will continue to develop while resting. The whole kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and also to prevent the motor from overheating.
- 1st Proofing:
- Form the dough into a round ball and let it rise in a warm place for 60 minutes or until double in size in a large greased bowl, covered with cling film or kitchen towel. I normally leave the dough in the stand mixer’s bowl and cover with lid.
- You may also transfer dough to the fridge to retard for several hours or overnight for about 8 – 12 hours. I find the dough retard in the fridge is softer and better shelf life,
- Shaping:
- Punch down the dough to release the air. Transfer the dough to a clean floured surface then divide into 3 equal portions. Please use a kitchen scale if you want to be exact.
- Form each portion to a ball. Rest for 10 minutes.
- Flatten with rolling pin into a dish.
- Fold right to centre and fold left to meet in the centre. Roll out with rolling pin into long rectangle shape. Roll up the dough like Swiss Roll until a small log is formed.
- Place all dough in a lined loaf pan.
- 2nd Proofing:
- Let it rise at warm place (room temperature around 29C - 30C) for another 40 - 60 minutes or slightly below the rim of the pan.
- Brush the top with water and sprinkle some pumpkin seeds on top (optional). Put on the lid and let it proof for another 8 - 10 minutes for square loaf.
- Baking:
- Preheat oven at around 190C - 200C (top & bottom heat) or around 180C - 190C (fan-forced) for 10 - 15 minutes.
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove bread from oven and pan, let it cool on rack completely before slicing.
Helpful Tips for Success
- Gluten Development
- Gluten is key to creating soft, airy bread. It forms when flour is hydrated, giving the dough strength and structure. To encourage proper gluten development, use techniques like autolyse or kneading. You can check if the dough is ready with the windowpane test — the dough should stretch thin without tearing. In my experience, high-hydration doughs with a generous amount of fat are easier to stretch and can achieve an almost paper-thin windowpane stage.
- Kneading:
- Please regard the timing provided as an indication only. It is only meant as a guide. Times vary by flour and mixer type. For higher fat dough, knead longer (18–20 minutes).
- Flour & Hydration:
- Use high-gluten flour for optimal texture. Always reserve some liquid to adjust dough consistency for best results. If dough is too dry, add the reserve liquid one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency.
- Dough Temperature:
- Maintaining the right dough temperature during kneading is crucial for a fine crumb. If the dough becomes too warm, the crumb will become too big and uneven. To prevent this, use cold water, milk, or eggs, and chill your mixing bowl or hook attachment in the freezer. Knead at low speeds, and if your kitchen is warm, rest the dough in a cooler spot. Proper dough temperature ensures a soft, fluffy bread with a fine, even crumb.
- Proofing:
- Proofing time depends on your environment. Use the finger poke test to gauge readiness. To check dough readiness, lightly press the side with your finger:
- If it bounces back instantly, it’s under-proofed and needs more time.
- If the indentation stays, it’s over-proofed.
- If the indentation slowly bounces back, it’s ready to bake.
- There’s also a final rise called oven spring when the dough bakes, which adds to the bread’s height.
- Wrinkle Top or Shrinking:
- If your bread collapses or develops wrinkles on top after baking, it might be over-proofed during the second rise. Aim for the dough to rise to 80-90% of its final size or just below the rim of the pan to prevent this. Over-proofing leads to weaker structure, causing the bread to lose shape.
- Baking & Oven Temperarate:
- Do also note that the baking temperature and timing provided are what works for my oven and should also be regarded as a guide only. Every oven behaves a little differently, so please adjust accordingly for your oven.
Storage Tips
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Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days
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Fridge: Keeps well for up to 1 week
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Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze up to 2 months; thaw at room temp
Variations
✨ Add warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves
✨ Make it into pumpkin muffins — just adjust the baking time to ~20–25 minutes
✨ Drizzle with a cream cheese glaze for extra indulgence
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Why is my loaf dense?
A: Overmixing the batter or using too much puree can make the loaf dense. Mix gently and measure carefully.
Q: Can I reduce the sugar?
A: Yes, you can reduce the sugar slightly, but keep in mind it affects both sweetness and moisture.
Q: How do I prevent a soggy bottom?
A: Make sure the loaf is fully baked (use a skewer test) and cool it on a wire rack so the bottom doesn’t trap steam.
Troubleshooting
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Dense or heavy texture: This can happen if the dough is underproofed, overproofed, or underkneaded. Make sure the dough has doubled in size during proofing and passes the poke test before baking.
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Dry or crumbly loaf: Check your hydration — if using homemade pumpkin puree, make sure it’s not too dry. Also, avoid adding too much flour when kneading.
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Loaf sinking or collapsing: This is often due to overproofing or too much yeast activity. Keep an eye on the dough and bake once it has risen properly.
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Crust too hard: Cover the loaf loosely with foil during the last part of baking, or brush with a little butter after baking to soften the crust.
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Bland flavor: Make sure to use a flavorful pumpkin puree and consider adding a pinch of spices or salt to enhance the taste.
Final Thoughts
This Pumpkin Loaf is a comforting, crowd-pleasing bake that’s as easy as it is delicious. Whether you’re making it for a fall gathering or just a cozy afternoon at home, it’s sure to bring smiles.
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Hi!Yeanley,
ReplyDeleteI wanna try baking pumpkin loaf from your recipe but can i use 60gm canola oil instead of using 60gm butter.
Hi there,
DeleteThank you for dropping by. Yes, sure you can use 60gm of canola oil instead. If you use butter then will add more butter aroma to the bread that's all. Please don't add all water/milk at one time. Add 100g first then slowly increase if too dry.
Happy baking.
Cheers:)
If i only have 450g loaf pan, how do i adjust the recipe?
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Hi, Thank you for your question. You may want to try reduce the flour to 320g and reduce the rest of ingredients accordingly by multiply 0.8. I hope it helps.
DeleteI have not tried on 450g loaf pan. But, I think it should work. Please let me know after trying.
Cheers :)
I am trying your recipe without machine, hand kneading. I have a problem that I couldn't read the pumpkin into the dough. The dough is scatter into small pieces and a bit hard and pumpkin just coated the small piece of dough. Any suggestion? Thank you very much
ReplyDeleteBy the way I just steam the pumpkin and mash it and put it in the mix ingrediat.
Hi, thanks for trying this recipe. To be honest, I never use hand kneading my bread dough. I am not good in hand kneading. You may want to try mix flour and steamed mashed pumpkin first before adding water. It may be easier??
DeleteCheers :)
Yes, I have tried that and it turn out great. Thanks
DeleteThat's good :)
DeleteHi, can I just omit the egg in this recipe or I need to replace it with something else? Any advice?
ReplyDeleteHi, Thanks for reading. Yes, of course. Just replaced with milk with same amount.
DeleteCheers:)
Hi, i used the same amount of pumpkin but the dough is very wet before i add the butter. Only used 120g of milk. Can i add more flour or reduce the pumpkin mash?
ReplyDeleteHi, yes please add more flour. Your pumpkin could be very high hydration. So use less milk next time ya.
DeleteCheers :)