This Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting is moist and full of pumpkin flavor. Made with simple ingredients, it’s a perfect homemade fall bread recipe that everyone loves.
If you love pumpkin recipes, then you have to try these amazing pumpkin oatmeal cookies and this pumpkin coffee cake. Both are favorite sweet treats of ours. However, if you love a savory dish to try, then this delicious Pumpkin Chili is a hearty meal the whole family will love.
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Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
I love a simple loaf cake or quick bread and this homemade pumpkin bread is at the top my list to make every fall. Easy to make and loaded with cozy warm spices, it is a wonderful fall treat for the whole family.
This pumpkin loaf cake has the favorite sweet and tangy cream cheese icing that adds an extra element of flavor and is so moist and delicious. If you’re a pumpkin lover, this sweet bread is definitely a must for you to try. I love it with a hot cup of coffee or tea!
Ingredients/shopping list
For the Bread:
- All-purpose flour – Flour is one of the key ingredients for bread making.
- White sugar and Brown sugar – This will add the perfect sweetness to the bread.
- Pumpkin spice and cinnamon – These ground spices are what gives that warm fall flavor. You can easily make your own pumpkin pie spice.
- Baking powder and Baking soda – These two key ingredients help to give that bouncy texture to the loaf.
- Salt – The salt is there to help balance out the sweet flavors.
- Eggs and unsalted butter – This is what you will be used to bind the ingredients together and help create that moist texture.
- Vanilla extract – The extract will help add some extra sweetness and a depth of flavor.
- Pure pumpkin puree – The main star of the show, I use canned pumpkin puree.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream cheese – The base for this frosting, the cream cheese needs to be softened to room temperature. Full-fat cream cheese is best in my opinion but you can use ⅓ less fat if you’d like.
- Unsalted butter – Combined with the creamed cheese it makes a creamy frosting.
- Vanilla extract and Powdered sugar – Adds sweet flavor.
- Chopped pecans or walnuts – An optional extra on top of the pumpkin bread.
Variations/ Substitutions
1. Swap the butter in the bread for an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce or greek yogurt for a lower-calorie option.
2. Use gluten-free one-to-one flour if you wanted to make a gluten-free pumpkin loaf. Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour is one of the best options to use.
3. Use all granulated white sugar or all brown sugar in the bread if desired.
4. Add some chocolate chips to the dough before baking.
5. During pumpkin season, you could also make your homemade pumpkin puree. Just be sure to soak up the liquid well by placing a paper towel in the bowl.
6. Make pumpkin muffins if you’d like with the recipe. Reduce the cooking time to 20-25 minutes.
7. If you like to make the bread without the frosting, that is completely ok as well.
How to Make this Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Make the bread:
Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease a 9×5 loaf pan with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper.
Step 2 – In a medium bowl, add the dry ingredients.
Step 3 – In a separate large bowl, add the room temperature butter, sugars, and vanilla extract and beat on low speed with an electric mixer (stand mixer or hand mixer). Add in the eggs one at a time, blending between each addition. Then add the pumpkin puree and stir to combine.
Step 4 – Add the flour mixture in batches to the wet ingredients and mix on low until everything is combined.
Step 5 – Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
Step 6 – Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then remove the loaf from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting:
Step 1 – In a separate bowl, add the softened butter and cream cheese, and beat until fluffy. Then add the vanilla extract and blend in quickly.
Step 2 – Add the powdered sugar in batches. (add ½-1 cup more to thicken the frosting more if desired).
Step 3 – Spread the frosting on the top of the bread. Add chopped nuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.
Tips
- Cover the top of the pan with foil if it starts to look too brown at around 45 minutes of baking.
- Be sure to measure the flour carefully. Use the spoon and level method or a food scale.
- To soften the cream cheese and butter remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before starting to bake.
- Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin pie filling has additional spices and sugar and will affect the flavor and overall texture of this loaf bread.
- Avoid over-mixing the bread dough. Over mixing will make the bread more dense.
- Always make sure the bread has cooled completely before adding the frosting. Otherwise the frosting will melt and become runny.
FAQ’s
If you have any leftover bread, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freeze this pumpkin bread without the frosting for up to 2 months. Wrap the bread in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil before placing it in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
Then thaw in the refrigerator overnight and make the cream cheese icing before serving.
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Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 15 ounces pure pumpkin puree 1 can
For the Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- Chopped pecans or walnuts optional
Instructions
Make the bread:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and grease a 9×5 loaf pan or line with parchment paper..
- In a large bowl, add the flour, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir together.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add the butter, sugars, and vanilla extract and beat on low with an electric mixer. Add in the eggs one at a time, blending between each addition.½ cup white sugar, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup brown sugar
- Then add in the pumpkin puree and stir to combine.15 ounces pure pumpkin puree
- Add the dry ingredients in batches to the wet ingredients and mix on low until everything combines.
- Pour the batter into a prepared loaf tin.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- Then remove from the tin and place on a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Frosting:
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract and beat until fluffy.4 oz cream cheese, ¼ cup unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add in the powdered sugar in batches. (add ½-1 cup more to thicken the frosting more if desired).2 cups powdered sugar
- Spread the frosting on the top of the bread and add chopped nuts and sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.Chopped pecans or walnuts
Notes
Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Freeze without the frosting for up to 2 months. Wrap the bread in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil before placing in a freezer safe container or freezer bag.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
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