Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe

This homemade Pumpkin Bread is soft, moist, and full of pumpkin spices. The best part is it’s easy to make! Have a slice for breakfast, dessert, or as a snack during the afternoon. Just don’t skip the cream cheese glaze – it’s the perfect finishing touch.

At our house, it’s not really the fall season until that first loaf of pumpkin bread comes out of the oven. Just the scent alone, while it bakes, is enough to get you in the fall spirit!

This easy pumpkin bread recipe is my go-to favorite. Like other quick bread recipes, it’s easy to mix up, and then it’s in the oven in no time. I like to add a simple cream cheese glaze on top because who doesn’t love a sweet finish?

It has the perfect amount of fall spices like nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon, and the bread is so soft and moist. The perfect fall bread when you’re craving something sweet.

If you’ve been looking for the best pumpkin bread recipe, you don’t need to look anymore. Once you try this recipe, it will be your family favorite, too.

Pumpkin Bread Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Bakingsoda
• Salt
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground cloves
• Ground nutmeg
• Large eggs
• Pumpkin puree
• Melted butter
• Vanilla extract

Tip: If you have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can use that instead of the individual spices. Use 2  teaspoons of the spice mix.

How to Make It

You will need a 9″ loaf pan for this recipe. Grease and flour it well so the bread is easy to remove.

Whisk the flour, both kinds of sugar, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs, puree, butter, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix just until combined – about 15 to 16 stirs. 

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake the bread for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Cool it on a wire rack before slicing it.

Pumpkin Bread Glaze

While the bread cools, you can make the cream cheese glaze/frosting. It’s optional – the bread is delicious without it – but it really does add a nice finishing touch.

Just mix softened cream cheese, softened butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar in a bowl until smooth.

Spread the glaze over the top of the pumpkin bread before slicing and serving it.

Can pumpkin bread be frozen?

Yes, it freezes great! Once the bread is completely cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap. Place it in a freezer bag and it will keep in the freezer for up to two months.

Thaw the bread at room temperature and then frost it with the cream cheese frosting before serving it.

More Storage Tips

Homemade pumpkin bread will keep at room temperature for two to three days as long as it’s kept tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.

You can also store it in the refrigerator for a few days longer.

Why did my pumpkin bread not rise?

Double-check that your baking soda has not expired. If it has, the bread won’t rise properly. Also, make sure to use a 9″ loaf pan for the best results.

Why did my bread collapse?

If your pumpkin bread sinks in the middle after it’s baked it could be you overmixed the batter. If too much air is trapped in the batter, the bread will sink in the middle as it puffs up.

Also, if you use a smaller loaf pan the bread will collapse as it rises when it reaches above the sides of the pan. This recipe works best in a 9″ loaf pan.

Variations

You can add mix-ins to your batter or sprinkle them over the top before baking the bread. Chocolate chips and chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans would work well with this bread.

The flavors in this easy pumpkin bread recipe are all about fall! It’s one of our favorites to make every year, so I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

More Fall Quick Bread Recipes

• Walnut Cranberry Bread
• Best Banana Bread
• Pecan Cinnamon Bread