Nobody likes wasting food, but if you don’t know how long pumpkin bread can last for, it can be hard to avoid it. Sometimes, banana bread gets forgotten about or missed at the back of the fridge, and then it’s hard to know whether to eat it or ditch it (unless there is visible mold or a funny smell, of course).
Pumpkin bread is a popular fall dish, but it’s one that rarely gets eaten all at once, even if it’s really good.
How long does pumpkin bread last? Pumpkin bread can last for up to a week in the fridge but it can also depend on how it is stored. Pumpkin bread will only last for a couple of days on the counter, but you can also slice and freeze pumpkin bread, giving yourself a steady supply in the coming months. Frozen pumpkin bread should last for about three months before its texture starts to deteriorate.
How Long Does Pumpkin Bread Last on the Counter?
On the counter, pumpkin bread should keep for a couple of days, but it won’t go for much longer than that. It contains quite a lot of moisture, which keeps it from drying out, but leaves it more vulnerable to mold.
To store pumpkin bread on the counter, put the cooled bread in a plastic bag or wrap it in aluminum foil, and then place it on the side or in the pantry.
This is all that you need to do, so it’s nice and simple, but be aware that the bread will not last for long at all like this. To avoid wasting pumpkin bread, it’s often better to keep it in the fridge.
It’s not a good idea to slice the whole loaf of pumpkin bread in advance. Being kept as a whole loaf helps to maintain its freshness, so make sure you only cut what you need, and always cover the cut end.
Don’t leave pumpkin bread on the counter for long, even if it hasn’t been cut. Some people say that it will keep for up to a week, but this is taking a risk with food borne bacteria and the fridge is a safer option.
How Long Does Pumpkin Bread Last in the Fridge?
If you have fridge space, it is better to keep your pumpkin bread in there, as it will last much longer. You should be able to store it for about seven days as long as your fridge stays cold.
Again, you should put your pumpkin bread into a plastic bag so that the moisture levels remain about the same. You don’t want it getting damp in the fridge. Don’t pre-slice, but put the whole loaf in the fridge and gently squeeze the air of the bag every time you take a slice.
Try to use your bread up within a week so that it doesn’t go to waste.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Bread?
Yes, you can freeze pumpkin bread, and this is probably the best way to keep it fresh and make sure it doesn’t end up going moldy because you don’t eat it quickly enough. Frozen pumpkin bread should last for about three months in the freezer.
It may even keep for longer than that, but you might find that the texture starts to degrade afterward. You could experiment with your recipe and see how long it takes before you notice a difference in texture.
Pumpkin bread that is kept in the freezer won’t turn moldy, so you don’t have to worry about that. You can keep pumpkin bread for ages once frozen, although if you defrost it, it will of course become vulnerable to molding again.
Many people batch bake their pumpkin bread, so if you have made multiple loaves at once, you will almost certainly wish to freeze some (unless you have a lot of company coming!).
You should slice your pumpkin bread before freezing, as this allows you to just take a single slice (or multiple slices) out when you want some. Microwave individual slices for about fifteen seconds, and you should have a hot, moist, delicious piece of pumpkin bread just ready to enjoy.
Alternatively, wrap slices up and store them in the refrigerator to defrost slowly overnight.
Of course, you can take out a whole loaf, but slicing it first makes it easier to take only what you need. This reduces the risk of the rest getting wasted, so try and do this unless you know the whole loaf will get used once it is thawed.
How Do You Know If Pumpkin Bread Has Gone Bad?
You can tell whether pumpkin bread is okay to eat by the look, the smell, and the taste. When you’ve stored pumpkin bread for a while, it’s a good idea to check all of these things before tucking into a slice, just in case!
If in doubt about pumpkin bread, remove the wrapping and inspect the bread closely. Any tiny white or blue flecks (or other discolored flecks) are a clear sign that the bread has turned moldy, and should not be eaten.
Some people remove the flecks and eat the bread anyway, but this is not safe as mold spores will have spread across the surface, even if you can’t see them because they are too small.
You should also smell the bread carefully. If the smell has started to change and taken on a sour or fermented scent, the bread needs to be thrown away as it is no longer safe to eat.
If both the smell and the look seem fine, cut a small slice and taste it. If it still tastes okay, it should be fine to eat, but if it tastes strange or unpleasant, the bread has gone off and needs to be thrown away.
Final Thoughts
Pumpkin bread can last for a couple of days on the counter, about a week in the fridge, and up to three months in the freezer. Always check pumpkin bread is okay before you eat it, as moldy pumpkin bread could give you an upset stomach or make you sick.