Pumpkin Bread (only 5 Ingredients!)
This 5 ingredient pumpkin bread with self rising flour is the kind of recipe you will make once and immediately put on repeat every fall! I have tested this pumpkin bread recipe more times than I can count, tweaking the ratios, testing bake times, and adjusting the texture until the loaf comes out moist, perfectly spiced, and never gummy in the middle every single time. It's the recipe I reach for when I want something that tastes like I spent all afternoon on it, but really only took ten minutes to throw together.
If you want more pumpkin recipes, give me pumpkin soda bread a try too!
I love this recipe because it feels like fall every time I make it! Five ingredients, one bowl, ten minutes of work, and it tastes like I spent an afternoon on it. The second that pumpkin spice smell hits the kitchen, it's officially fall in our house, and I end up making this one on repeat from September through Thanksgiving.
Self rising flour is always in my pantry! I love making pancakes with self rising flour, waffles with self rising flour, and especially chocolate chip muffins with self rising flour! When the Fall comes, I am making this bread on repeat, and sometimes I even make them into muffins for an easy grab and go breakfast!
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Why This Recipe Works
Self-rising flour already has the baking powder and salt built in, which means the leavening is evenly distributed through every scoop instead of you trying to whisk it in separately and hoping for the best. That's the main difference between all purpose flour vs self rising flour.
That's a big part of why this bread rises evenly instead of doming weird in the middle or staying flat and dense. Pumpkin puree does double duty here too. It brings the moisture so you don't need oil or butter, and it brings that deep, earthy pumpkin flavor that makes people ask if you added a whole spice cabinet.
Brown sugar over white sugar matters more than you'd think. It's got molasses in it, and that molasses is what keeps this bread soft and moist for days instead of drying out by day two like a lot of quick breads do. Every ingredient here is pulling real weight. There's nothing filler about this list.
Ingredients in Pumpkin Bread with Self Rising Flour
- Canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling, that's already sweetened and spiced and will throw off the whole recipe). If you've got some extra leftover, make some mini chocolate chip pumpkin muffins too!
- Self-rising flour, spooned and leveled so you don't accidentally pack in extra flour and end up with a dry loaf. MUST be self rising flour!
- Eggs, for structure and lift.
- Brown sugar, packed, for sweetness and moisture
- Pumpkin spice, for that warm, cozy flavor that makes the whole house smell like fall
Be sure to check out the printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
No self-rising flour on hand? Mix 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour with 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt. It won't technically be a 5 ingredient recipe anymore, but it'll work in a pinch.
No pumpkin spice? Stir together 1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch each of ginger and cloves.
Want it a little richer? Swap one of the eggs for 2 tablespoons of melted butter or oil. It adds a touch more richness without messing with the rise.
Add-ins that work well: chocolate chips, chopped pecans or walnuts, dried cranberries, or a handful of mini marshmallows folded in right before baking. If you're adding mix-ins, toss them in a spoonful of flour first so they don't sink straight to the bottom.
Want a glaze? A simple powdered sugar and milk drizzle, or a cream cheese glaze if you really want to make it feel special, takes this from everyday snack to dessert-worthy in about two minutes.
How To Make 5 Ingredient Pumpkin Bread
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a standard 9x5 inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until they're smooth and a little frothy.
- Step 2: Whisk in the brown sugar, pumpkin spice, and pumpkin puree until fully combined.
- Step 3: Add the self-rising flour and stir just until no dry streaks remain. A few small lumps are fine. Overmixing is the number one reason quick breads turn out tough, so resist the urge to keep stirring.
- Step 4: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
- Step 5: Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Tips and Tricks to Making 5 Ingredient Pumpkin Bread
- Don't skip the cooling time. I know it's tempting to slice into it warm, but pumpkin bread firms up and sets its texture as it cools. Cutting too early gives you a gummy center even when the bread is fully baked.
- Use real canned pumpkin puree, not pie filling. This is the number one mistake I see, and it will throw off both the flavor and the texture.
- Spoon and level your flour. Scooping straight from the bag packs in extra flour and dries out the loaf. Spoon it into your measuring cup, then level it off with a knife.
- Tent it with foil if the top is browning too fast. Every oven runs a little different, so if the top is getting dark before the center is done, loosely lay a piece of foil over it for the last 15 minutes.
- Test in two spots. Insert your toothpick in the center and then again about an inch off center. Sometimes the very middle looks done before the rest of the loaf actually is.
Storage Info
This bread is honestly better the next day, once the flavors have had time to settle in. Bake it up to 2 days ahead, let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature.
You can also make the batter up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature before baking.
To freeze, wrap the fully cooled loaf (or individual slices) in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the counter, or microwave a slice for about 20 seconds if you can't wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, just add 2 ¼ teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt for every 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour you use, since self-rising flour already has both of those built in.
This almost always means it needs more time in the oven or wasn't cooled long enough before slicing, since the center keeps cooking a bit as it sits.
Yes, just split the batter between two loaf pans rather than trying to bake it all in one, since one oversized loaf will bake unevenly.
Yes, just divide the batter into a greased or lined muffin tin and bake at 350°F for about 20 to 22 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick.
More Self Rising Flour Recipes
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Bread (with self rising flour!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Large Eggs
- ¾ cup Brown Sugar Packed
- 2 teaspoon Pumpkin Spice
- 15 oz Canned Pumpkin puree Not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 ¾ cup Self rising flour MUST be self rising flour
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a standard 9x5 inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth and a little frothy.
- Whisk in the brown sugar, pumpkin spice, and pumpkin puree until fully combined.
- Add the self-rising flour and stir just until no dry streaks remain. A few small lumps are fine, don't overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Use real canned pumpkin puree, not pie filling. Spoon and level your flour so you don't pack in extra and dry out the loaf. The bread firms up as it cools, so don't skip that cooling time before slicing.
- This recipe NEEDS to use self rising flour. All purpose flour or bread flour WILL NOT WORK in this recipe since it does not have the leavening agent already in it like self rising flour does.
