There is pumpkin spice everything everywhere! October comes and this country becomes obsessed with everything pumpkin. And I love it!
Of course, with everyone posting their recipes, do we really need one more? Truth be told, I didn’t want to feel left out (insert pout-face). AND I was dying to adapt this amazing banana bread recipe into a pumpkin bread. Instead of using oil or butter, the recipe calls for sour cream. So I had to experiment, and I’m really glad I did!
Keep in mind that 2 tablespoons of premium (not reduced fat) sour cream is approximately 60 calories (according to the container) while 1 tablespoon of canola oil (and many pumpkin loaf recipes call for oil) is 120 calories, and you can see why sour cream is a good choice.
Here’s what you need
Between the pumpkin puree, the eggs, and the sour cream, you have all the moisture you need. And the sour cream gives it a rich, velvety texture that is out of this world.
Start by preparing two large loaf pans with butter and flour.
Then combine the flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon together. Whisk to mix well.
In a mixing bowl, add the puree, sour cream, eggs, and sugar. Mix just until fully incorporated.
It will be pretty runny at this point.
Then add the flour mixture and mix until completely combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the two loaf pans and bake in the center rack until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about 60 minutes). For a shorter cooking time, you can make three 7 x 3 loafs instead.
Be careful not to over-cook or the bread will be dry.
And finally, a sweet treat!
While I like mine plain, or with cream cheese, my guys like butter on their breads. How do you like yours?
Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup full fat sour cream
- 3 cups white sugar
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Grease and flour 2 9 x 5 loaf pans.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Whisk to mix well.
- In a mixing bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, eggs, sugar, and sour cream until evenly distributed.
- Add the dry ingredients and combine well.
- Pour into the two loaf pans and bake on center rack for 60 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. I start checking for doneness at the 50-minute mark.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
I think that maybe the oil has been forgotten. It was really dry. Would not make again. Outside was hard.
Mary, I’m sorry this recipe did not turn out well for you. I posted it when I had only been blogging for 3 or 4 months. I made it several times that year and in subsequent years, and I have had friends make it and enjoy it very much.
Oil was omitted from this recipe by design, which I explain in the post but should have made clearer on the recipe itself. I also should have made clearer in the recipe that the sour cream must be full fat, not reduced fat. Did you use reduced fat sour cream, perhaps? The sour cream has about 1/4 of the calories of the oil, but it will not be a good substitute if it is reduced fat.
Also, I start testing for doneness at least 10 minutes before the 60-minute mark.
I made this recipe again after reading your and Katelyn’s comments and it came out delicious. Both my son and husband loved it. I will edit the recipe to be more clear.
Again, I’m sorry it did not work for you.
This recipe is not great. It needs butter or oil and more salt and spices. I used fresh puréed pumpkin and it was still dry.
Katelyn, I’m sorry this recipe did not turn out well for you. I posted it when I had only been blogging for 3 or 4 months. I made it several times that year and in subsequent years, and I have had friends make it and enjoy it very much.
Oil was omitted from this recipe by design, which I explain in the post but should have made clearer on the recipe itself. I also should have made clearer in the recipe that the sour cream must be full fat, not reduced fat. Did you use reduced fat sour cream, perhaps? The sour cream has 1/4 of the calories of the oil, but it will not be a good substitute if it is reduced fat.
Also, I start testing for doneness at least 10 minutes before the 60-minute mark.
I made this recipe again after reading your and Mary’s comments and it came out delicious. Both my son and husband loved it. I will edit the recipe to be more clear.
Again, I’m sorry it did not work for you.
This bread was amazing. Full of flavor, not dry at all, and i even had a heel.
Yes, but you have always loved it. Haha!
Pretty good I thought. Buddy of mine made it and showed me the site.
Thank you.
Just wanted to say that I love this recipe!
Im a chef who makes it in my cafe regularly.
We don’t have canned pumpkin in Australia so I just steam the pumpkin and whiz it while it’s hot.
Throw all the other ingredients in and whiz it all together in the robo coup and put it in 1 loaf pan.
Cook it on steam 30% heat 70% and no fan. Takes 1.5hrs and is super moist like a banana bread.
Sour cream is what makes it moist and so fluffy, loved this recipe so much that when I make banana bread I use sour cream instead of oil and I sell 3 loaves a week !
So thanks !
Samantha
Thank you, Samantha! It makes me very happy that you love the recipe and that you are making a commercial success of it! Lovely to hear from Australia!