This super soft Olive Oil Pumpkin Bread is made with extra virgin olive oil, canned pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Olive oil is a great substitute for butter or vegetable oil, and it makes for a delicious, rich, and moist pumpkin loaf.
Olive oil can be used in all sorts of baked goods instead of butter or vegetable oil. It goes really well in Olive Oil Banana Bread, Olive Oil Carrot Cake, or this Italian Olive Oil Cake, among others. In these cakes, the herby note of the olive oil adds to the flavor of the cake, while keeping them soft, tender, and moist.
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🫒 The Trick to Using Olive Oil for Pumpkin Bread
In Pumpkin Bread, I find that the same herby note in some extra virgin olive oils that enhances flavor in lighter tasting cakes can clash with the flavors of pumpkin and cinnamon.
The trick, I’ve found, is to use a very mild tasting extra virgin olive oil so that the olive oil does not overpower the flavor of the pumpkin and warm spices. My two favorites to use for this Pumpkin Bread are the Kirkland Brand Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil that can be found at Costco, and the Trader Joe’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil. They are both mild in flavor, and they're relatively inexpensive per unit volume.
For more pumpkin baked goods, try: Jumbo Pumpkin Muffins, Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, or Sourdough Pumpkin Scones.
🛒 Ingredients
Below are the ingredients used to make Olive Oil Pumpkin Bread.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: To ensure that the flavor of the olive oil does not overpower the flavor of the pumpkin bread, use a mild tasting extra virgin olive oil such as Costco’s Kirkland Brand Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Pumpkin: Use canned pumpkin (or pumpkin purée), not pumpkin pie filling.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a caramel like note. You can use either light or dark brown sugar.
- Eggs: Use large eggs, pasture-raised if possible.
- Vanilla Extract: Use real vanilla extract. Costco sells a large bottle for a low cost per unit volume.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: For leavening. In early testing of this recipe, I used only baking soda, but the loaf was too dense. Adding baking powder yielded a much softer, more tender loaf.
- Salt: To bring out and balance flavor.
- Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon. It can make a big difference in the overall flavor of the pumpkin bread. I find that cinnamon is the one spice where it helps to buy a higher quality version. I use Ceylon Cinnamon from a brand called Simply Organic, found at Whole Foods and a few other grocery stores.
- Cloves: This recipe calls for only ¼ tsp, but feel free to add more if you want a more intense flavor.
- Nutmeg: I find nutmeg can be overpowering, so the recipe only calls for an ⅛ tsp.
- Flour: Use all-purpose, unbleached flour.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
📝 How to Make Olive Oil Pumpkin Bread
Below are the step-by-step instructions and photos for how to make Olive Oil Pumpkin Bread.
Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.
Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
Step 1. Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, canned pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.
Step 2. Dry Ingredients: Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, and combine. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Step 3. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the very bottom comes out clean.
Let cool fully before slicing and serving.
🍂 Pumpkin Bread Baking Tips
- Don't Over Mix: Overmixing the flour develops gluten, which leads to a tougher loaf (great for pizza crust, not for pumpkin bread). I'll often use a spoon to gently stir in the flour at the end to prevent overmixing.
- Fully Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven 20-30 minutes in advance of baking if possible to ensure the oven is fully heated. It's always helpful to check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer if you have one.
- Loaf Pan: If using a glass or ceramic loaf pan, you may need to add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
💖 For More Pumpkin Recipes You May Love:
If you've tried this Olive Oil Pumpkin Bread Recipe or any other recipe on my site, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Olive Oil Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (102g) use a mild tasting EVOO, see note
- 1 15oz can pumpkin (425g)
- ½ cup brown sugar (115g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (6g)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder (8g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon (4g)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (<1g)
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (<1g)
- 1½ cups all purpose flour (210g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Butter and flour a 9x13 loaf pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, canned pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, and combine.
- Add the flour and gently combine. Do not overmix.
- Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Notes
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: To ensure that the flavor of the olive oil does not overpower the flavor of the pumpkin bread, use a mild tasting extra virgin olive oil such as Costco’s Kirkland Brand Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Trader Joe's Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Pumpkin: Use canned pumpkin (or pumpkin purée), not pumpkin pie filling.
- Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon. It can make a big difference in the overall flavor of the pumpkin bread. I find that cinnamon is the one spice where it helps to buy a higher quality version. I use Ceylon Cinnamon from a brand called Simply Organic, found at Whole Foods and a few other grocery stores.
- Spices: Feel free to adjust the amount of spices to your taste preferences.
Kim says
This is the second time I have made this recipe. I like using olive oil instead of veg oil or butter. I also like that there is only one half cup of sugar. I will have to check out your other recipes.
Lauren says
Hi Kim, Thanks for your note! I also love to use olive oil when possible and to try and minimize the amount of sugar added. I also have a banana bread recipe with olive oil on the site, along with a few different types of olive oil cakes.
Kim says
Delicious flavor and moist. Made twice in a week.
Lauren says
Hi Kim, I'm so glad! Thanks for leaving a note!