🍞 Maine Family Favorite: Classic Homemade Pumpkin Bread
🕯️ Introduction
There’s something truly special about recipes passed down through generations — the ones that smell like home, taste like comfort, and carry the laughter of family gatherings. This Maine Pumpkin Bread is exactly that kind of recipe.
I grew up along the coast of Maine, where the air turns crisp early and pumpkins appear on every porch by mid-September. This recipe has been part of my life for as long as I can remember — I’ve been baking it for half my life. Now, every Thanksgiving, my grown kids each ask for their own loaf to take home, and I’m more than happy to keep that tradition alive. Because no matter how old they get, they’ll always be my babies.
đź“ś A Brief History
Pumpkin bread has deep roots in New England. Early American settlers learned from Indigenous peoples how to cook with pumpkin — a native crop — turning it into soups, puddings, and eventually, sweet loaves baked with molasses and spices. Over time, as sugar and wheat flour became more accessible, pumpkin bread evolved into the soft, spiced loaf we know today.
This Maine version stays true to its origins: moist, warmly spiced, and rich with the flavor of real pumpkin.
🧡 Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon allspice
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter for richer flavor)
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 (15-ounce) can of pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- â…” cup water
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Optional Add-Ins (choose your favorites):
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup dried cranberries or raisins
👩‍🍳 Method / Instructions
- Preheat & Prepare:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour two 9×5-inch loaf pans, or line them with parchment paper for easy removal. - Mix Dry Ingredients:
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all spices until evenly combined. - Blend Wet Ingredients:
In another large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, water, and vanilla until smooth and glossy. - Combine:
Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Do not overmix — that’s the secret to a tender loaf. - Add the Love (Mix-Ins):
Fold in nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit — whatever your family loves most. - Bake:
Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pans. Bake for 60–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. - Cool:
Let loaves cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
🕰️ Serving Suggestions
- Serve warm with a pat of salted butter or cream cheese.
- Perfect alongside morning coffee or an evening cup of tea.
- Wrap in parchment and tie with twine for a cozy homemade gift — a Maine-style token of love.
đź’ž The Love Behind the Loaf
What makes this recipe truly special isn’t just the pumpkin or the spices — it’s the tradition. Every year, as I mix the batter, I think of all the Thanksgivings gone by, of my kids sneaking tastes of batter, and of the laughter filling the kitchen.
Now, when my grown children each leave with their own loaf, it’s not just bread they’re taking home — it’s a piece of our family’s heart.
🌾 Conclusion
This Maine Pumpkin Bread is more than a recipe; it’s a story of love, family, and home. Simple, spiced, and full of comfort — just the way it’s always been.
Bake it, share it, and keep the tradition alive. Because some recipes, like love itself, only grow stronger with time.