This easy and delicious pumpkin bread recipe is moist and warmly spiced. It’s topped with crunchy streusel and cream cheese frosting. Perfect for a fall breakfast, snack or dessert!
“My friend and I both agreed this is the best pumpkin bread we’ve had! So light and soft, so flavorful, so moist!!!!!” -Zoe
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Every home baker needs a go to pumpkin bread recipe and this is mine. I hope it becomes a family favorite for you too!
It is packed with pumpkin puree and full of pumpkin spice flavor. Enjoy as is or top with streusel and luscious cream cheese frosting!
This recipe was updated slightly in September 2025. I left the walnuts out of the streusel to make it easier and nut-free. If you want to add nuts, please see the notes section at the bottom of the recipe card.
If you’re looking for more pumpkin recipes, try my pumpkin banana muffins, pumpkin carrot cake cupcakes, and my pumpkin olive oil cake.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Pumpkin makes this loaf moist and delicious like my pumpkin spiced scones and no bake pumpkin pie bars!
- I love to top mine with a crumbly walnut streusel for extra cozy flavor and crunch.
- Cream cheese frosting is luscious. It makes the bread extra tasty!
- This pumpkin bread loaf is perfect for breakfast or dessert just like my chocolate and carrot cake recipe and cinnamon swirl banana bread.
- You don’t need a mixer to make the batter Mix it up by hand.
Ingredients
Here are some useful notes on the ingredients for this pumpkin loaf cake recipe.
- Pumpkin puree- Use 100% pure canned pumpkin puree. Don’t confuse pumpkin puree with pumpkin pie filling. I have not tested this recipe with homemade pumpkin puree. If you have leftover pumpkin, try my chocolate pumpkin pie, peanut butter and pumpkin cookies and pumpkin spice biscotti.
- Oil- I recommend a neutral oil canola or vegetable oil. Oil makes this pumpkin iced pumpkin loaf super moist.
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger- These warm spices enhance the pumpkin flavor just like in my cinnamon swirl apple fritter bread and pumpkin spice banana bread!
- Brown sugar- Light or dark. Make sure your brown sugar is fresh. Brown sugar adds moisture and warm molasses flavor.
- Milk- Use whole or 2% room temperature milk.
- Butter- Use unsalted, room temperature butter for the frosting.
- Cream cheese- Use full fat, room temperature block style cream cheese. Cream cheese makes the frosting tangy and luscious just like the cinnamon cream cheese frosting in my carrot cake loaf cake.
Please see recipe card for a full list of ingredients and their measurements.
Substitutions
- Use extra cinnamon instead of nutmeg or ginger. You can also swap in a little allspice or cloves for some of the other spices
- Chocolate fan? Stir in some chocolate chips after adding the dry ingredients. I recommend adding 3/4 cup or up to 1 cup of chocolate chips.
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter for some crunch.
How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Bread
Quick Video Recap
Instructions
Step 1: (Photo 1 above) Stir to combine the flour, sugars and cinnamon for the streusel in a small bowl. Mix in the melted butter til combined. Set the bowl in the fridge to chill.
Step 2: (Photo 2 above) Whisk to combine the sugars and oil.
Step 3: (Photo 3 above) Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin, milk and vanilla.
Step 4: (Photo 4 above) Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined.
Step 5: (Photo 5 above) Pour the batter into a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
Step 6: (Photo 6 above)Sprinkle the streusel evenly overtop. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for about 1 hour.
Step 7: (Photo 7 above) Bake at 350 F for 60 to 75 minutes. Allow bread to cool.
Step 8: (Photo 8 above) In a small mixing bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and vanilla extract with an electric mixer. Add the cinnamon and powdered sugar. Add the milk and beat til combined and creamy. Drizzle frosting over the cooled bread.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Add 3/4 cup regular or mini chocolate chips.
Pumpkin bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Add chocolate chips, dried fruit, or nuts (walnuts or pecans) to pumpkin bread for extra flavor. Toast and chop nuts, then fold into the batter or streusel.
Store unfrosted pumpkin bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Store frosted pumpkin loaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Expert Baking Tips
- Make sure to use pure pureed pumpkin for this pumpkin streusel loaf and not pumpkin pie filling.
- Avoid overmixing. Mix the batter just enough that the dry ingredients are combined with the wet. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see any bits of flour.
- To see if the bread is done, stick a toothpick in the center. It should come out clean with no or barely any crumbs.
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Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- 1 Loaf pan
Ingredients
Streusel Topping (optional)
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup (62.5 g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) cinnamon
Pumpkin Bread
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
- 2¼ teaspoons (4.5 g) cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon (1.5 g) nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground ginger
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar light or dark, packed
- ½ cup (118.29 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 (2) large eggs room temperature
- 1½ cups (367.5 g) canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 teaspoon (2.46 ml) vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (78.86 ml) whole milk or 2%, room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) cream cheese full fat, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (56.7 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup (90 g) powdered sugar sifted
- ¾ teaspoon (3.7 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) cinnamon optional
- 1 tablespoon (14.79 ml) whole milk
Instructions
Streusel Topping (optional)
- Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave and let it sit for 1–2 minutes so it’s warm but not hot.
- In another small bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon with a fork. Pour the slightly cooled melted butter over the dry mixture and stir until crumbly. Chill the streusel in the fridge while you prepare the batter, then sprinkle it over the batter before baking. (If you want to add nuts to the streusel, fold in 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, plain or candied, see notes section below).
Pumpkin Bread
- Set your oven rack to the lower third position. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or grease the sides with butter and line with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and ginger. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk to combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar and oil. Use the bottom of your whisk or your fingertips to break up any little lumps of brown sugar, if needed. Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla extract.
- Use a spatula to fold in half the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir in the milk then stir in the rest of the dry ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to over mix. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
- Take the streusel out of the fridge and use a fork to break it up into chunks of the same size. Cover the top of the batter evenly with the streusel. Use your fingertips to press the streusel down lightly.
- Bake 60 to 75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs on it when inserted into the center. Begin checking at about an hour and check it every five minutes or so until it's done.
- Let cool for ten minutes in the pan on a wire rack and then remove it from the pan to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled completely, drizzle with frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)
- In a small mixing bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer til combined. With the mixer on low, add the cinnamon and powdered sugar followed by the milk. Beat til combined and creamy. Drizzle frosting over cooled pumpkin bread.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Ana
Such a delicious bread! I added some cloves and of course more cinnamon. my bread took 75 minutes to bake. Thank you for the recipe!
Natalie
Hi Ana! Aww you’re one of my favorite bakers and I’m flattered you enjoyed it! Thanks for making this pumpkin bread and for sharing your helpful recipe notes. Love that you added more cinnamon hehe and great idea to add cloves! 🙂
Natalie
Hi Mary, Thank you for your comment. I’m so sorry for the confusion. Yes that is a mistake in the ingredients photo. There is no buttermilk in this recipe. I will update that photo soon. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you enjoy this pumpkin bread!
Zoe
My friend and I both agreed this is the best pumpkin bread we’ve had! So light and soft, so flavorful, so moist!!!!! I’m a huge fan of the Parsely and Icing pumpkin cake, so had high hopes for this one—and it nearly rivals the magnificence of the cake.
We made a couple of adjustments due to what we had on hand and preferences.
– homegrown, homemade pumpkin puree (game changer!)
– subbed almond extract (out of vanilla)
– didn’t use the full amount of sugar
– no walnuts in the streusel
We also chose not to make the icing — I’m sure it’s spectacular with it, but the bread itself is so good you just don’t need it!
I ended up making another batch the next day because we were going through it (and gifting it) so fast! In the second batch, I used vanilla – and, honestly, I may slightly prefer the almond extract in this recipe, weird combo but it worked.
Natalie
Hey Zoe, Awh thank you so much. I’m so happy you loved this pumpkin bread and so glad you are a fan of the pumpkin olive oil cake too!! :)I loved reading your recipe notes and love that you already made a second batch! Thank you for your review and for supporting my blog! Hope you have a great weekend!
Lela
Delish pumpkin bread recipe! I added chocolate chips because my partner loves them so I added 1/4 cup of semi-sweet chips. My loaf did take longer to bake than what the instructions specified but it made the house smell amazing nonetheless. Also had my friends and partner try it, 10/10 from them.
Natalie
Hi Lela!Thanks so much for making this pumpkin bread recipe and for your comment. I appreciate you sharing your recipe notes and so happy it was a hit with everyone! Have a fantastic week 🙂
Brittney B
This came out fabulously! Shared with a group and everyone was so excited to try it and loved it. A little time consuming on the first go round but I would def make again!
Natalie
Hi Brittney- Thanks for your comment and for making this pumpkin bread! I’m so glad it was a hit and great to hear you’d make it again 🙂 Have a great night! -Natalie
Deanna Hardison
Made this pumpkin bread today. It turned out beautifully. I did have to bake a little longer then what it said but none the less was amazing. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It’s definitely going to be my go to Pumpkin bread recipe from here on out.
Deanna Hardison.
Natalie
Hi Deanna, Thanks so much for making this pumpkin bread! Thanks for sharing your notes about the baking time and for taking the time to comment. I’m so glad you enjoyed it and grateful to hear it’s going to be your go to pumpkin bread recipe!!
Natalie
Hey Kathy,
Thanks for your comment and for making this recipe! Love to hear that the bread came out well. I really appreciate your feedback and will definitely make a few edits to the recipe to make it easier to make. Have a great night! -Natalie
Melinda Morgana
I made it twice, I’m literally fall in love with this amazing recipe ❤️
Natalie
Hi Melinda,
Thanks so much for making this recipe more than once! I love to hear that you love the recipe and appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment! XO Natalie
Barbara Ward
Just made this Pumpkin Bread! So Delicious!
Natalie
Thank you so much for trying this pumpkin bread recipe! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it! XO Natalie
Judy
Made this last weekend! I must say it was the perfect fall cake recipe. The cake disappeared very quickly. Delicious and everyone loved it. This will be my go to recipe and baking website for sure. Thank you very much 🙂
Natalie
Hey Judy! Aww so happy to hear this cake was a hit! Thank you for making it and thanks so much for your kind words about my website! Excited for you to try more recipes. Have a great rest of your week! -Natalie
Barbara Ward
Will be making this delicious sounding and looking Pumpkin Bread all month long!
Samira
This recipe looks amazing! Perfect for thanksgiving weekend! Looking forward to making it.
Natalie
Thank you so much Sam! I can’t wait for you to make it and know it’ll be a big hit with the fam! XO
Melanie Rose Bailey
Loved it!!! Made it with White Wings gluten free plain flour and it was amazing!
Natalie
Hi Melanie! Thank you so much for making this pumpkin bread! I’m so happy you enjoyed it and so great to know it worked well with gluten free flour too 🙂