Pumpkin Spice Bread

This is an American-style pumpkin quick bread with a tender crumb from pumpkin purée and oil. The batter is mixed in one bowl, baked in a standard loaf pan, then glazed and finished with toasted pepitas for extra texture.

By Julienne

Cook time: 55 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 240 g all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 5 g baking powder
• 4 g baking soda
• 4 g fine salt
• 4 g ground cinnamon
• 2 g ground ginger
• 1 g ground nutmeg
• 0.5 g ground cloves
• 120 g granulated sugar
• 100 g light brown sugar packed
• 120 ml neutral oil
• 2 piece large eggs room temperature
• 425 g pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
• 60 ml milk room temperature
• 10 ml vanilla extract divided
• 90 g powdered sugar sifted
• 20 ml maple syrup
• 10 ml water warm, for glaze
• 2.5 ml vanilla extract divided
• 20 g pumpkin seeds toasted, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 175°C. Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides. The oven is fully preheated and the pan is lined.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly combined. The dry mixture looks uniform with no visible spice streaks.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, milk, and 10 ml of the vanilla extract until smooth. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and fold just until no dry flour remains; do not overmix. The batter is thick, glossy, and evenly mixed with no dry pockets.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. The batter is level in the pan.
5. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the final 10 to 15 minutes. The loaf is risen, the center tests done, and the top springs back lightly when pressed.
6. Cool the loaf in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out onto a rack and cool until barely warm. The loaf releases cleanly and is warm rather than hot.
7. Make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar, maple syrup, warm water, and the remaining 2.5 ml vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the cooled loaf, then sprinkle the toasted pumpkin seeds over the top before the glaze sets. The glaze clings to the loaf in a thin opaque layer and the seeds stay in place.
8. Slice and serve once the glaze has set slightly. The loaf slices cleanly with a tender crumb, glossy glaze, and crunchy seed topping.