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Seriously Easy Mini Pumpkin Bread with Swirly Cinnamon Goodness

These seriously easy mini pumpkin loaves with a gorgeous cinnamon swirl are quick, simple, and deliver all that incredible pumpkin spice flavor with a delightful ribbon of cinnamon sugar running through them. Perfect for fall!
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Cook Time 20 minutes

Equipment

  • Mini loaf pans or muffin tin
  • Medium bowl
  • larger bowl
  • Whisk
  • spatula or wooden spoon
  • Toothpick or knife for swirling
  • Wire rack for cooling

Ingredients
  

Hauptzutaten

  • 0.5 cup Pure canned pumpkin Make sure it's 100% pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling!
  • 1 large Egg
  • 0.75 cup All-purpose flour
  • 0.5 tsp Baking powder
  • 0.125 tsp Baking soda
  • 0.25 cup Light or dark brown sugar Either light or dark is fine!
  • 2 tbsp Cinnamon sugar This is for that amazing swirl! You can buy it or just mix 2 tbsp sugar with 1 tsp ground cinnamon.
  • 0.5 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tsp Pumpkin pie spice If you don't have pre-mixed, you can combine cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves.
  • 0.25 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 0.25 cup Canola oil You could also use another neutral-flavored oil like vegetable or grapeseed.

Instructions
 

  • First things first, preheat your oven. I usually set mine to 350°F (175°C). You'll also want to grease and flour your mini loaf pans or muffin tin really well so the bread doesn't stick.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients for the bread: the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Give it a good whisk to make sure everything is combined and there are no lumps of sugar or spice.
  • In a separate, larger bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: the pure canned pumpkin, the egg, vanilla extract, and canola oil. Whisk until it's nice and smooth.
  • Now, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Switch to a spatula or wooden spoon and mix gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter – a few small lumps are totally fine! Overmixing can lead to tough bread, and we want it nice and tender.
  • Prepare your cinnamon swirl mixture if you haven't already. It's just the cinnamon sugar listed in the ingredients.
  • Spoon about half of the batter into your prepared mini loaf pans or muffin cups, dividing it evenly.
  • Sprinkle about half of your cinnamon sugar mixture over the batter in each pan.
  • Top with the remaining batter, dividing it evenly.
  • Sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon sugar over the top of each loaf. Use a toothpick or knife to gently swirl the cinnamon sugar into the batter a little bit – don't overdo it, just a little wiggle will create that lovely ribbon.
  • Pop your pans into the preheated oven. Baking time will vary depending on your oven and the size of your pans, but for mini loaves, it's usually around 20-30 minutes. If using muffin cups, it might be closer to 18-25 minutes. You'll know they're done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (avoiding a swirl spot!).
  • Once they're done, let them cool in the pans for about 5-10 minutes before carefully removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. Waiting helps prevent them from breaking.

Notes

Substitutions & Additions: Flour (Gluten-free blend, Almond flour, or whole wheat pastry flour may work), Oil (Melted butter or unsweetened applesauce for half), Spice (Add ginger or cloves), Mix-ins (Fold in nuts, chocolate chips, dried cranberries/raisins), Different Swirl (Brown sugar or mini chocolate chips).
Tips for Success: Do not overmix the batter. Measure flour properly by spooning lightly. Use the toothpick test to check for doneness. Allow to cool in the pan before removing. Grease and flour pans well.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze individually wrapped for up to 3 months.