Make it your way
Choose your pumpkin
One loaf batter, two ways to prepare the pumpkin.
Weekday · Canned pumpkin · 1 loaf, about 10 slices · About 2½–3 hours
Use one 9 × 5-inch metal loaf pan per batch. Bake larger recipes in separate pans or batches; allow extra time for hands-on work and oven space. Do not assume a larger pan keeps the same bake time.
Gather
Ingredients
Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it, or use the gram weight. Measure homemade pumpkin only after thickening as needed and cooling.
Loaf batter
Cinnamon crumble
Cinnamon-sugar finish
Make · Weekday · Canned pumpkin
Method
Measure the pumpkin
Measure 1 cup / 240 g of canned 100% pure pumpkin, such as Libby’s. Choose plain pumpkin rather than sweetened pumpkin pie filling. For each loaf, use 1 cup / 240 g, not the entire 15-ounce can. No additional roasting or cooking down is needed.
Prepare the pan
Heat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease a 9 × 5-inch metal loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling, leaving enough overhang to lift out the loaf.
Make the crumble
Stir together the crumble flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in its 3 tablespoons of melted butter with a fork until small clumps form. Refrigerate while making the batter.
Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk together the loaf flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and optional nutmeg.
Mix the wet ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the loaf butter, oil, and both sugars. Whisk in the eggs, followed by the pumpkin purée, sour cream, and vanilla.
Combine and top
Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture just until no dry flour remains. The batter should be thick but spreadable. Spread it in the pan and scatter the crumble evenly over the top.
Bake
Bake for about 60–75 minutes, checking first at 55 minutes. A skewer inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs and no wet batter. Tent loosely with foil if the crumble browns before the center is done.
Add the donut finish
Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully lift the loaf onto a rack. Mix the finishing sugar and cinnamon. Brush the exposed sides lightly with the finishing butter, then sprinkle and gently pat on the cinnamon sugar. Keep the crumble top intact.
Let the center set
Cool for another 45–60 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to preserve the crumble.
A few kitchen notes
Moisture & make-ahead
Use plain canned pumpkin
Canned 100% pure pumpkin goes straight into the batter. No roasting or cooking down is needed. Avoid sweetened pumpkin pie filling, and use 1 cup / 240 g per loaf rather than the whole 15-ounce can.
Make ahead & storage
The homemade purée can be prepared ahead, so baking day follows the weekday schedule. Freeze extra purée in measured portions. Let the finished loaf cool completely before wrapping; the crumble will soften somewhat during storage. Individual slices can be wrapped and frozen.
