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High Altitude Pumpkin Loaf on a copper wire trivet on a light wood background. Behind it are leaves, pumpkins of various sizes and colors and a white marble foreground.
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High Altitude Pumpkin Bread

Nothing hits quite like a slice of High Altitude Pumpkin Bread as the months grow colder! It's the perfect way to start your morning and the recipe is easy and delicious. Full of pumpkin, sweetness and spice.
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Resting Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 10 people
Calories 260kcal
Author Mara

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, full fat room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs, large room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk room temperature
  • cup applesauce

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and cinnamon for 2-3 minutes. Making sure to scrap the bottom of the bowl at least once.
  • Next, add in eggs, one at a time and vanilla extract. Beat on low for 1-2 minutes, scrapping the bottom of the bowl at least once.
  • Next, add in pumpkin puree and beat for 30 seconds.
  • Next, add in all dry ingredients and gently beat into batter until just combined. It's okay if there is a little bit of flour not mixed in.
  • Finally, add in buttermilk and applesauce and beat until just combined.
  • Remove the bowl from stand mixer, give it a good mix with a silicone spatula. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper OR spray a fluted loaf pan. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in pre-heated oven for about 65-75 minutes and/or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven and put on a cooling rack in the loaf pan. Let it cool for 10-20 minutes in the pan. Then, carefully remove the pumpkin bread from the pan and let it continue to cool on the cooling rack until room temperature. Then, slice and serve.

Notes

Properly Measure Flour: If you just dip your measuring cup into a bag of flour, chances are you have way too much flour due to packing. I keep a small digital scale to accurately measure flour BUT you can also use the spoon and level method too if you don't have a scale. To do this, use a spoon to fluff up the flour within your flour bag or container. Then use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and finally use the straight edge of a knife to level the flour across the measuring cup.
Don't Overmix -  Overmixing can make your pumpkin bread tough or bake unevenly. You want to mix your ingredients until the flour is just combined.
Wooden Skewer Test - when your pumpkin bread is toward the end of its bake, make sure to insert a wooden skewer into the center of the pumpkin bread. When you pull the wooden skewer out, you want it with a few moist crumbs or completely clean to indicate its finished baking. If there is any wet batter, it needs to continue to bake, I recommend baking in 2-3 minute increments until the wooden skewer comes out clean or a few moist crumbs.
How do I adjust for my particular altitude? I baked this recipe at 5,280 feet above sea level. If you need to adjust for your altitude. Check out this article here!
 
Nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. Please calculate your own nutritional information if you want it exact to what you make and use my calculations as a guide only.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 3069IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg