Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
A classic pumpkin bread made even better with tart cranberries scattered throughout. It’s flavorful, wonderfully moist, and has that perfect tender crumb we all love in a quick bread. This one is a delicious way to kick off your holiday baking.
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (,scoop and level, divided (406g))
- 2 teaspoons baking soda (,(10g))
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (,(4g))
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup canola (, or other neutral oil)
- 1 ½ cup brown sugar (, packed (330g))
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (,(50g))
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie filling (425g))
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon all spice
- 1 12oz package cranberries, ( thawed if frozen (340g))
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9x5 loaf pans by either lining with parchment or greasing the pans to prevent sticking.
- In a medium bowl, add 3 cups of flour, reserving the ¼ cup (31g) for later. Add the baking soda, baking powder and salt. Give it a little whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add oil, both sugars and whisk to blend together.
- Add pumpkin and eggs and continue whisking until smooth.
- Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick but creamy.
- Add in the cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves and allspice.
- Before adding in the cranberries, pat dry with a paper towel if using frozen cranberries. In a small bowl, mix the whole cranberries with the reserved ¼ cup of flour. Lightly toss until coated. Fold the cranberries into the batter gently until completely combined and there are no visible white streaks of flour.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared pans filling both until evenly filled. Each loaf pan will be about ¾ filled. Optional: Dust tops with sparkling sugar before baking.
- Pumpkin cranberry bread is done when it pulls from the sides, top is slightly brown and the internal temperature is 200 to 205°F.
- To ensure doneness, you may want to turn the oven off and allow bread to rest for 10 minutes.
- Take loaves out and cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Do not allow longer than this as it can cause condensation on the bottom of the bread.
- Remove loaves from pans and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
I love a good pumpkin bread, but adding fresh cranberries takes this one to another level. You get that cozy pumpkin flavor and warm spices, with little pops of tart cranberry that keep every bite from feeling too sweet. And the texture? So soft, tender, and moist. I’ve found that the oil and brown sugar really help it stay that way for days.
And because this recipe makes two full 9x5-inch loaves, you can keep one for yourself and share the other… or, let’s be honest, tuck one away in the freezer for when that pumpkin bread craving hits again.
Pro Tip
Rolling the whole cranberries in a portion of the reserved flour helps prevent sinking and excess moisture.
