“I grew up in Maine and I’ve been using this same recipe for half my life, it’s the best.”

This Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread is incredibly moist, flavorful, and richly spiced, making it a perfect treat for autumn or any time you crave a comforting, homemade baked good. It yields two loaves, ideal for sharing or freezing!

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven & Prep Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease two 9-inch loaf pans.
2. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, water, and granulated sugar until all ingredients are fully incorporated and smooth.
3. Sift Dry Ingredients: In another medium-sized bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger, and cardamom. Sifting ensures no lumps and even distribution of spices.
4. Combine Wet and Dry: Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until no dry spots remain. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
5. Fill Pans & Bake: Transfer half of the batter into each of the prepared loaf pans. Place the loaf pans in the preheated oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a loaf comes out clean. To prevent the tops from over-browning during the last 15-20 minutes of baking, I recommend loosely covering the loaves with aluminum foil.
6. Cool: Allow the loaves to cool in their pans for about 15 minutes before carefully removing them and placing them on a wire rack to cool completely. For the best slicing results, let the bread come to room temperature before cutting.