Shortcut Pumpkin Bread – Also Includes A Homemade Recipe

If you are in the mood for all of the warm flavors of fall but don’t want to mess with a ton of work, then you will need this simple shortcut pumpkin bread recipe!

Traditional pumpkin bread is a sweet bread that is filled with all of the typical warm flavors of fall: cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and of course pumpkin. In addition, most from-scratch recipes require flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and more.

Instead of needing to deal with all of those separate ingredients, there’s a simple hack you can use if you are in a pinch – or just need a simple fall dessert. This recipe only requires four ingredients (three if you don’t want to include the chocolate chips).

This is a great recipe to have on hand in case someone stops by or the sudden mood for warmth and sweets hits you. As long as you have a can of pumpkin or a couple of cups of homemade pumpkin, a box cake mix, and a few eggs, then you can make this shortcut pumpkin bread.

I like to include mini chocolate chips to make this recipe even more sweet and tasty. Besides, chocolate chips are always a great addition to most sweet breads! If using cake mix isn’t your thing, I’ve also included a quick full from-scratch recipe at the end of the article.

How To Make Shortcut Pumpkin Bread

*Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the full recipe, including exact measurements and amounts. You can also print out the instructions. I go into a bit more detail about the recipe here first, just in case you need it.

Ingredients

As mentioned, this recipe only has four ingredients: Canned or homemade pumpkin puree, a box spice cake mix, eggs, and mini chocolate chips.

Pure Pumpkin Puree – You can use either store-bought canned pumpkin puree for this or you can use homemade. Just make sure if you purchase the pumpkin that you don’t get pumpkin pie filling. You don’t need or want the extra spices that are added to pumpkin pie filling.

Spice Cake Mix – Here’s where the main shortcut lies. Sure, box mixes might not be the purest or healthiest in the world. But I like to say “everything in moderation” (and remember, this is a semi homesteading life!). Of course, you can make pumpkin bread from scratch so you know for sure what the ingredients are but it’s ok to cheat occasionally. (Instructions for a full from-scratch recipe are included below.)

Eggs – You are going to need two large eggs for this recipe. Of course, we use our farm fresh eggs which I feel helps to cancel out the box cake mix a little bit . . . at least that’s what I tell myself!

Mini Chocolate Chips – These are of course optional, especially if you aren’t fond of the combination of pumpkin and chocolate together. However, as a family, we like the combination so I like to include them in the recipe.

Instructions For Shortcut Pumpkin Bread Recipe

First, preheat your oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Once you have that going, grab a loaf pan and grease it. You can also use a sheet of parchment paper to line the pan to help make removal easier. Set the prepared pan aside. (Product Link: Wilton Loaf Pan)

In a large bowl, add your pumpkin puree and spice cake mix. You don’t need to add any additional spices or seasonings because the cake mix already has these included. This can be considered a good thing or a bad thing if you are a person who prefers to be more in control of what spices and how much is used. (Product Link: Betty Crocker Spice Cake Mix)

Once the puree and cake mix are combined, add the beaten eggs. Only mix the three ingredients until they are just combined and there is no longer any dry cake mix. You want to avoid overmixing the batter if possible. Next, gently fold in the mini chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. The batter will be pretty thick so use a spatula to scrape it all out and into the pan.

Baking And Cooling

Bake the loaf pan in a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the loaf. Allow the bread to cool for a few minutes, then remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack. Enjoy the bread as is or with a little bit of butter.

That’s it! It’s really as simple as that and doesn’t get much easier. Of course, I prefer homemade pumpkin bread but this is a great recipe to have on hand when you need a quick warm fall flavor fix!

Full Homemade Pumpkin Bread Recipe

If you want a recipe for a truly homemade pumpkin bread, then here you go! This recipe will make two loaves:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of each of the following: cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg (This is where you can adjust the flavors to your liking by omitting or using less.)
• 12 Tablespoons room-softened butter (3/4 cup)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large egg
• 1 can of pure pumpkin puree (15 ounces or 2 cups pumpkin puree)
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325º F. Grease or line two loaf pans and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and seasonings).

In a larger bowl or a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, combining well after each one. Mix in the pumpkin puree. Add the dry ingredients slowly and mix until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips if using.

Divide the batter into each of your prepared loaf pans. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Allow the loaves to cool slightly before removing from the pans.

Whether you go the shortcut method or homemade, this pumpkin bread is a great way to enjoy the flavors of fall!

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea

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