Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
This moist and flavorful Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting is the ultimate fall treat! Packed with warm pumpkin spice, rich pumpkin purée, and topped with a luscious tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting, it’s a dessert (or breakfast!) that tastes like autumn in every bite. Perfect for holidays, bake sales, or a cozy afternoon snack.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- For the Pumpkin Bread:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or ½ tsp nutmeg + ½ tsp ginger)
- 1 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 tbsp milk (as needed for consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Set to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin purée, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
- Combine: Gradually stir dry ingredients into wet until just combined (do not overmix).
- Bake: Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- Make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth. Adjust with milk if too thick.
- Frost: Spread frosting generously over cooled pumpkin bread. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter for extra crunch.
- Swap frosting for a glaze if you prefer something lighter.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days (best served at room temperature).
- Freezes well (without frosting).
