Homemade pumpkin bread is the perfect fall treat! Make this easy quick bread recipe this pumpkin season for either breakfast with a cup of coffee or even dessert. The perfect pumpkin bread is super moist, loaded with a mixture of spices and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting that is sure to put a smile on your face!
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Table of contents
Why This Pumpkin Bread is the Best!
A moist pumpkin bread is one of my favorite fall recipes to bake. This bread has just the right amount of pumpkin flavor and warm spices. When you bite into this sweet bread the fluffy texture practically melts in your mouth.
It's an easy recipe that takes only a few minutes to prepare. I also like to make a few extra loaves ahead of time to freeze for a yummy Thanksgiving treat or to take to a holiday get together. Who can resist pumpkin spice bread?
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Equipment Needed
hand mixer or stand mixer- either of these will make the job of mixing the pumpkin loaf or the frosting easier.
Key Ingredients
pumpkin puree- is simply pure pumpkin. Do not get pumpkin pie filling which is a mixture that already contains sugar and spices.
unsalted butter- although it is not pictured in the picture below, 5 tablespoons of room temperature butter is used in this recipe!
buttermilk- I use this a lot in baking but you can always use add a tablespoon of either white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup along with enough whole milk to fill. The acid in buttermilk is the key ingredient that helps make this bread a light and fluffy texture.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Allow the butter and eggs to come to room temperature before you make your pumpkin bread. It is impossible to cream cold butter and we want to make sure the butter and sugars are a smooth consistency. Add the butter, vegetable oil, white and brown sugar to a large bowl and use an electric mixer or a stand mixer to combine until smooth.
Add the pumpkin puree and eggs to the bowl and continue to mix together.
In a separate bowl mix the flour, spices and leaving agents together before adding to the wet ingredients. Add half of the dry ingredients along with the buttermilk. Combine and then add the remaining flour.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate all of the flour. Add the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes. All ovens are different, so I suggest checking the bread before the recommended baking time. Also to prevent the top of the bread from browning too much, cover at the half way point with a piece of aluminum foil.
Once the pumpkin bread has baked, let the loaf cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting. Transfer the loaf from the pan onto a wire rack.
To make the frosting, start with room temperature cream cheese and beat with a hand mixer until it is a smooth, lump-free consistency. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for flavor and to thin out the frosting. Generously smooth the cream cheese over the pumpkin bread in a thick layer. If there is extra you can serve the remain frosting on the side.
Cut the loaf into slices and serve! You can enjoy this for breakfast or dessert and it is perfect with a mug of coffee or glass of milk. Either way this pumpkin spice bread will be the perfect addition to your holiday baking!
Substitions and Additions
If you do not have all of the spices listed on hand, you can always use 2 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead.
I add walnuts to this recipe for a little crunch and also chocolate chips are a fun addition!
Storage and Freezing Suggestions
Because of the cream cheese frosting you must store this in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3-4 days stored in an airtight container. I like to allow a slice to come to room temperature before eating.
You can freeze this loaf as well, by placing the bread in the freezer to par freeze. I do this by sliding the whole loaf or individual slices into the freezer on a cutting board or plate. After a couple of hours remove the bread and wrap tightly with a layer of plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. This will partially freeze the bread allowing you to wrap with plastic wrap with out smearing the cream cheese frosting. When ready to defrost remove all of the wrappings and let sit at room temperature for an hour.
Looking For Other Pumpkin Recipes? Try These!
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Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 9x5 inch loaf pan
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bread
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ⅓ cup buttermilk * see notes
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray or grease with butter.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer cream the butter and both types of sugar together. Add the vegetable oil and continue to mix for a minute until mixture is smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree and combine well.
- In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices using a spoon or whisk.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the pumpkin along with half of the buttermilk. Use the mixer to combine the ingredients while slowly adding the remaining dry ingredients and milk. Do not overmix. Use a spatula to finish mixing by hand to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl until no dry flour remains.
- Add the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. At the halfway point rotate pan in the oven to insures that it cooks evenly and tent with aluminum foil to prevent loaf from over browning on top.
- Check before recommended bake time with a toothpick for doneness. The bread is done when the toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow bread to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle invert the bread to the rack to finish cooling.
- When bread is completely cooled prepare the cream cheese frosting by beating room temperature cream cheese with a hand or stand mixer. The cream cheese will be smooth and free from lumps add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time while mixing. Add vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Smooth cream cheese frosting over the bread in a thick layer.
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