Frosted Pumpkin Bread made with butter, sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree & Fall spices! Soft sweet bread topped with a buttery cream cheese frosting everyone loves.
I adore baking up a fresh loaf of pumpkin bread on a cool Fall morning! There’s just something special about the soft, spiced bread. Don’t forget the frosting too! The cream cheese adds a lovely tang that compliments the bread perfectly. Feel free to top with toasted pecans or just a light dusting of cinnamon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for Frosted Pumpkin Bread
Butter: ¾ cup salted butter, softened, provides moisture and richness; using salted butter adds a subtle savory note.
Sugars: Combining 1 cup each white granulated sugar and firmly packed light brown sugar offers sweetness and a slight molasses flavor that deepens the taste.
Eggs: 2 large eggs act as a binder and lend structure by holding air, which results in a fluffy texture.
Pumpkin: Add moisture and natural flavor by adding 1 ⅓ cups pumpkin puree to the batter.
Spices: The mixture of warm spices- ½ tsp ground cloves, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon- gives the bread its signature fall aroma and taste. You can replace the spice blend with 2 tsp of pumpkin spice if you have that on hand.
Leavening agents: 1 tsp baking soda and ½ tsp baking powder help the bread rise evenly, ensuring a tender crumb.
Flour: The structural base of the bread is 2 cups all-purpose flour.
Cream cheese frosting
Cream cheese: 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature, adds richness and structure, helping the frosting hold its shape.
Butter: Using 3 TBSP unsalted butter, softened, helps create a lighter, fluffier consistency when whipped with the cream cheese.
Extract: Enhance the overall flavor by adding 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Powder sugar: Sweeten the frosting and thicken it to a spreadable consistency with 2 ½ cups powdered sugar.
Tips for making Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
- You won’t quite need a whole can of pumpkin puree, so make sure you measure it out instead of just dumping the whole can into your batter.
- When mixing the wet and dry ingredients together, I like to whisk a little bit and then use a large spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. This helps prevent dry or wet pockets from going unincorporated in the batter.
- It is important to give your pumpkin bread time to cool before frosting it. If you spread the frosting on right away then it is going to slide right off the bread. It will stick much better to a cool cake.
How do you store Spiced Pumpkin Bread?
Store your frosted pumpkin bread in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Keep it refrigerated to maintain the cream cheese frosting’s texture, which can last up to 5 days.
If you want to freeze it, it’s best to freeze the unfrosted pumpkin bread first. Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then foil before placing it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Once thawed, frost the bread before serving. Avoid freezing the bread with frosting as it can alter the frosting’s texture and cause it to separate. If you have leftover frosting, it freezes well in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Frosted Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup salted butter softened
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Cream cheese frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 3 TBSP unsalted butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F and coat a 9×5 inch loaf pan in butter or nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Combine the softened butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to whisk the ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs and whisk again until the eggs are fully incorporated.
- Whisk in the pumpkin puree, the cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Make sure there are no clumps of dry ingredients in your batter.
- Spread the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Once your bread is done baking, let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before moving it to a wire cooling rack.
- To make the Cream Cheese Frosting: Add your cream cheese to a medium size bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the whipped cream for about a minute, or until it is smooth. Whisk in the softened butter and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk in the powdered sugar until it is fully incorporated and your frosting is smooth.
- Let the cake cool completely and then top it with your cream cheese frosting. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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What is the expected texture of this pumpkin bread?
This pumpkin bread is soft and moist. The interior is similar to a good banana bread. The pumpkin puree is going to help keep the bread from drying out as it bakes.
How do I know when my spiced pumpkin bread is done baking?
You can check to see if your bread is done baking by poking the center of the loaf with a toothpick. The toothpick should come out about 70-80% clean. We don’t want it to be completely clean because that means the bread is overbaked and will be dry. It is important to remember that the bread will continue baking as it cools because of the residual heat in the pan.
Can I substitute fresh pumpkin puree for canned in this recipe?
Yes, you can use fresh pumpkin puree instead of canned. Make sure the fresh pumpkin is cooked, pureed smoothly, and drained well to avoid adding excess moisture, which could affect the bread’s texture.
Use the same quantity—1⅓ cups—as called for in the recipe.
Is there an alternative to using butter for a dairy-free option?
You can substitute dairy-free margarine or coconut oil for butter in equal amounts. Solid coconut oil works best to maintain the bread’s moisture and texture.
Ensure the substitute is softened to blend well with the sugars and other ingredients.
Can I use a different size loaf pan for the pumpkin bread recipe?
If you use a smaller pan, expect the bread to bake faster; start checking for doneness around 45 minutes. For a larger pan, increase baking time to about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Always test with a toothpick inserted into the center—when it comes out clean, the bread is done.
Enjoy more of our Fall inspired recipes here:
- These Starbucks Pumpkin Scones are tender, buttery, and filled with warm fall spices and real pumpkin puree. Topped with a sweet vanilla glaze and pumpkin drizzle, they’re a cozy homemade version of the café favorite!
- Mini Pecan Pies are sweet, buttery, and filled with rich pecan flavor in every bite. These easy, individual pies are the perfect bite-sized addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table!
- This Apple Dump Cake is a simple, cozy dessert made with just four ingredients—apple pie filling, cake mix, butter, and cinnamon. It’s full of warm apple pie flavor with none of the hassle!
- Our No-Bake Gingerbread Cream Pie features a gingersnap crust and a creamy, spiced filling made with brown sugar, molasses, and warm holiday spices. It’s an easy, festive dessert that perfectly captures the flavors of the season!
- Brown Sugar Pecan Pumpkin Muffins are soft, flavorful fall treats topped with a sweet, crunchy streusel. They’re an easy twist on classic pumpkin muffins, perfect for cozy autumn mornings!
Frosted Pumpkin Bread is soft, moist, and full of cozy fall flavor from pumpkin puree and warm spices. Topped with rich cream cheese frosting, it’s a sweet autumn treat everyone will love!
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