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Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread is an old-fashioned New England loaf with a moist, bakery-style crumb and rich pumpkin flavor. It’s baked with warm cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, then cooled before slicing for soft texture that stays tender.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 3 all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.5 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin purée
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 0.5 cup applesauce
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
Optional Topping
  • 0.25 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tbsp coarse sanding sugar

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prepare the Oven and Pans
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans and line them with parchment paper.
Mix Dry Ingredients
  1. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger, and kosher salt until evenly combined.
Mix Wet Ingredients
  1. Whisk together the pumpkin purée, large eggs, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Combine Batter
  1. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
  2. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared loaf pans, then sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and coarse sanding sugar if desired.
Bake
  1. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
  2. If the tops brown too quickly, loosely tent with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking.
Cool and Serve
  1. Cool the loaves in the pans for 15 minutes, so the crumb sets without collapsing.
  2. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Serving Options
  1. Slice and enjoy with salted butter, maple butter, whipped cream cheese, or a drizzle of warm maple syrup.

Notes

For the moist crumb, fold the dry ingredients in gently and stop as soon as you don’t see streaks—overmixing can make the loaf dense. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze for up to 3 months. Dietary swap: for a dairy-free version, serve with maple syrup instead of whipped cream cheese.