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This homemade pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting is the most moist pumpkin bread cream cheese frosting is absolutely delicious! It is a quick bread recipe and one of our very favorite pumpkin recipes!
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Pin It NowHow To Make Pumpkin Bread
This is a brief overview of how this easy pumpkin bread recipe comes together. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the egg, pumpkin purée, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until the batter is just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Bake the bread. Pour the batter into your prepared bread pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. See more on preventing your bread from browning below.
- Allow the bread to cool. See how to make your cream cheese frosting below.
Bread making essentials…
Here are a few of the products that we use and love to make this recipe!
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
The icing on the cake (or pumpkin bread in this case), is a delicious homemade cream cheese frosting. It comes together in your mixer while the bread is cooling. It is also delicious on my Red Velvet Cupcakes. Here is a brief overview of how to make cream cheese frosting. For the full recipe including all ingredients and measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Start with room-temperature cream cheese and butter. Mix them together in a stand mixer until well combined. Then add in vanilla extract and salt.
- Add the powdered sugar. Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, to the mixer. Allow it to mix before adding more. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed well.
- Frost the bread. Spread it on your cooled bread.
Pro Tip!
To prevent your bread from browning, tent it with aluminum foil. If you notice the top of your bread browning halfway through the baking time, set a piece of foil over the bread while it is in the oven, not wrapping it tightly but rather setting it loosely on top. This will ensure that your bread is fully cooked in the middle, without the top being overdone.
To know your bread is done, insert a toothpick into the center of the bread. It should come out clean. The type of pan you will will affect the baking time. If you are using a dark coated pan, start checking your bread at the 40 minute mark.
Tips and Tricks
- Swap Greek yogurt: Instead of sour cream, you can use 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt. I do not recommend skipping this ingredient altogether because it provides a lot of moisture to the bread.
- Make sure the bread is cool before frosting. I know it can be hard to be patient when you are making a recipe that smells and looks THIS good, but please wait to frost the bread until it has cooled so that the frosting doesn’t melt off.
- Use room-temperature butter and cream cheese. This will allow the frosting to whip better and the ingredients to easily combine. Do not place them in the microwave to soften them.
- Use pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Double-check your can to make sure you have the correct ingredient. Pumpkin purée is pure pumpkin, while pie filling has added sweeteners and spices that aren’t needed for this quick bread recipe.
Storing Pumpkin Bread
Store any leftover bread covered on the counter for up to three days. The frosting should be refrigerated because of the cream cheese, so if the bread has been frosted, store it in the refrigerator for up to three days.
If you are making this ahead of time, I recommend keeping the bread and frosting separate until you are ready to serve.
Freezing Pumpkin Bread
If you want to freeze this bread recipe, bake the bread according to the recipe directions and allow it to cool completely. Letting it cool will prevent any moisture or condensation from collecting in the container which can lead to freezer burn. Place it in a freezer safe bag or container and store it in the freezer for up to three months. Allow to thaw before frosting and enjoying. I recommend making the frosting just prior to enjoying the bread rather than freezing the frosting.
Other Pumpkin Recipes
If you love all things pumpkin, try these other delicious and easy pumpkin treats!
- Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Pumpkin Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
- Easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
If you try this pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting or any of my other recipes, please let me know what you think by leaving a comment below! I love hearing from you and how you enjoy my recipes.
Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Bread Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 egg (large)
- 1 cup pumpkin purée
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Pumpkin Bread Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan by spraying it with non-stick spray or lightly greasing it.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the egg, pumpkin purée, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Turn the batter out into the prepared pan and use a spatula to evenly spread it.
- Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Keep an eye out for the top browning too quickly. Tent the loaf pan with foil mid-way through baking if needed. (If using a dark coated pan, start checking for doneness at the 40 minute mark)
- Allow the bread to cool completely.
- While the bread cools, make the cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions
- Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, mix together softened cream cheese and butter until well combined.
- Add in vanilla extract and salt.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Mix on medium-low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is mixed well.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting on the pumpkin bread once it has cooled completely.