Well Golden Hawks, it’s official — spooky season is upon us. From the falling leaves and chilly breeze to the return of sweater weather and pumpkin spice everything; October did not come quietly. Like most chronically online students, you’ve probably fallen down the romanticization rabbit hole, scrolling FallTok for hours, or pulling Pinterest all-nighters to find the perfect Halloween costume. Feeling inspired; maybe you’ve found yourself eyeing some seasonal grocery store goodies, only to purchase something and immediately regret it. How do they always manage to sound better than they taste? Trust me, I’ve been there, and I say homemade all the way. The autumnal aesthetic is undoubtedly enticing — cozy, comforting, and nostalgic. In the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” My go-to for the ultimate fall fix is an afternoon of baking, and what better way to satisfy your cravings than with a sweet treat.
Here’s what you’ll need to make a classic pumpkin loaf:
Oven
Loaf pan
Bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Whisk
Spatula
1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
1 ¼ cups of granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp clove
¼ tsp all spice
½ tsp ginger
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup of pumpkin puree
⅓ cup of milk
½ cup of canola oil
Pro Tip: when shopping for your ingredients, make sure you buy pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin) rather than pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sweeteners and spices — this simple mistake can spoil the recipe, since pumpkin pie filling is not a suitable substitute for puree.
First, a quick lesson in Baking 101: quick breads versus yeast breads. The latter uses yeast which, when combined with sugar, releases carbon dioxide. This produces a gas which allows the dough to proof. However, this process is more complex and time-consuming, since yeast requires certain environmental conditions to thrive. On the other hand, quick breads use chemical leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda, which speeds up the rising process. Quick breads have a moist, cake-like texture, and come in many different shapes and sizes.
To begin, prepare a loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350F. Next, mix your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt and spices) together in a large bowl. Once combined, create a well in the center of your mixture. This method prevents overmixing, by allowing us to incorporate the wet ingredients slowly but thoroughly. Add the eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree, milk and canola oil. Whisk to combine, then switch to a spatula and fold (scrape down to the bottom of the bowl, lifting the batter to the top, flipping it over and repeating) until there are no more visible streaks of flour. Finally, add your batter to the prepared pan and bake for around 50 minutes.
This recipe is the epitome of autumn, featuring warm spices and traditional harvest flavours reminiscent of an early 2000s fall. This dessert, while admittedly plain and simple, is rustic in all the right ways. As a one-bowl recipe, it’s exceptionally simple to prepare, making it the MVP of any family dinner party or Friendsgiving celebration. So, forget the tricks, because it’s time for treats — get making!
Contributed Photo/Maddie McGrath
