Nana's Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread

Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread is a deliciously moist, easy quick bread made with ginger, molasses, brown sugar, and warm spices. Takes just a few minutes to put together; it's perfect for the autumn holidays.

Jump to:

• What's the Story on Pumpkin Gingerbread?
• Pumpkin Gingerbread Ingredients
• Baking Tips for Moist Quick Bread
• Storage
• Equipment
• More Pumpkin Recipes
• More Quick Bread Recipes
• Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread

What's the Story on Pumpkin Gingerbread?

I'm one of those bakers who is always fiddling and tweaking my recipes, so of course I made a few changes to my old standard recipe this time, too - most notably the substitution of coconut oil for butter. Wow, what a difference that made! All those sweet spices danced across my tongue with whole new level of rich, gingerbready goodness!

Just to make sure it wasn't just my imagination, I made two more batches of this Pumpkin Gingerbread quick bread (all for you, my friends), with equally delicious results. When I shared it with the family, my mother-in-law Carol even told me I was (and I am quoting her word-for-word here), "A damn good cook." From her, that's high praise indeed!

Pumpkin Gingerbread Ingredients

• Pumpkin puree: Use canned or homemade pumpkin puree. Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
  • You can make pumpkin butter using any rich winter squash puree. If you make your own puree, our top squash recommendation is red kuri squash. It results in a fabulously smooth, rich pumpkin flavor.
• Flour: Use all-purpose flour for this recipe. You can sub in gluten-free flour as well.
• Powdered milk: Milk powder adds another level of tenderness to breads of all kinds. It can also extend their shelf-life.
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Spices: Be sure to use fresh spices for the best flavor and intensity.
• Salt: We use kosher salt.
• Coconut oil (or butter): Use unrefined coconut oil, or real butter.
• Eggs: We use USDA large eggs (EU size medium).
• Brown sugar: We use light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar will also work fine.
• Molasses: Use light or dark molasses. Do not use blackstrap molasses.
• Warm water
• Vanilla

Baking Tips for Moist Quick Bread

• Add the ingredients in Order. You are basically making a cake, and the order you do things matters. 
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet - not the other way around. Believe it or not, this matters. Adding the wet ingredients to the dry can result in pockets of flour and clumpy, inconsistent mixing. 
• Mix in the dry ingredients by hand.
• Don't overmix the batter. Over-mixing can result in extra gluten development, which can make your quick bread gummy and unpleasantly chewy.

Storage

Quick breads stay moist and holds their flavor for some time, making them a perfect for holiday gift-giving.

To maximize the shelf life, wrap cooled, baked pumpkin gingerbread loaves tightly first with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil prevent them from drying out. If you are going to freeze it, add an extra layer with a resealable freezer bag.

• Pantry: 2-3 days.
• Refrigerator: About a week.
• Freezer: If properly frozen, pumpkin gingerbread will last for six months; however, it is best eaten in the first 3-4 months, as it may develop freezer burnt if kept longer.

Equipment

I love it when things look as good as they taste! To create this lovely harvest-themed loaf, I used my beautiful harvest pumpkin loaf pan.

You can also use a shiny aluminum loaf pan. The bright surface prevents the baking surfaces that touch the pan from baking up too dark. Silicone loaf molds are also a great option.

More Pumpkin Recipes

Here are just a few of our favorite pumpkin recipes. Visit our collection of recipes for leftover pumpkin puree for more ideas.

• Triple Ginger Pumpkin Pie
• Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread
• Pumpkin Spice Sourdough Scones
• Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter
• Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Parmesan & Sage

More Quick Bread Recipes

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