Shawn Johnson East's Mom's Pumpkin Bread
Some family recipes are too good to keep to yourself.
For Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson East, her mother's pumpkin bread is one of those recipes. Growing up, Shawn remembers sitting across the kitchen island from her mom, talking about everything while something delicious was cooking. Her mother's love language was feeding the people she loved.
When Michele Norris asked Shawn to share a treasured recipe on Your Mama's Kitchen, she immediately chose her mom's pumpkin bread. It's a family favorite made with canned pumpkin, warm spices, and one unexpected secret ingredient: vanilla pudding mix.
The pudding mix gives this bread its wonderfully moist texture, and Shawn insists that this is one recipe you shouldn't try to make healthier. It's meant to be enjoyed just as it is.
These days, Shawn carries on her mother's tradition by baking the bread in small loaves to share with teachers and neighbors. It's a sweet reminder that the best family recipes aren't just passed down. They're passed around.
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Ingredients5 eggs
1¼ cups vegetable oil
1 (15-ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 (3-ounce) packages vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
STEPS:
STEP 1Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease five mini loaf pans.
STEP 2Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl.
STEP 3Add the vegetable oil and pumpkin, beating until smooth.
STEP 4In another bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients, including the vanilla pudding mix.
STEP 5Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture.
STEP 6Divide the batter among the five prepared pans.
STEP 7Bake for 50–55 minutes, then cool on wire racks.
Adapted in wording from Shawn Johnson East's published family recipe
Kitchen Crew Notes
During the episode, Michele suggested taking Shawn's mom's pumpkin bread to the next level: slice the bread, spread a little butter on each side, and warm it in a cast-iron skillet until the edges are golden and lightly crisp.
The result? A warm, buttery slice with a little crunch on the outside and all that soft, moist pumpkin goodness inside. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea!
