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Pumpkin bread cut into slices with milk jugs behind it.
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5 from 29 votes

Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

This easy recipe for Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting makes a moist, delicious pumpkin bread! It is soft, moist and full of fall flavor.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 399kcal
Author: Natalie

Ingredients

Maple Walnuts (optional)*

  • 1/4 cup walnuts roughly chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon or use pumpkin pie spice
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Streusel Topping

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup maple glazed walnuts cooled and chopped (recipe above)*

Pumpkin Bread

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar light or dark
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup whole milk room temperature

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 2 ounces cream cheese full fat, room temperature
  • 2 ounces unsalted butter room temperature
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon optional
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk

Instructions

Maple Walnuts (optional)*

  • In a small bowl, toss the walnuts with 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and a small pinch of salt. Add them to a dry skillet on medium heat. Add the maple syrup and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula for 3-4 minutes until the nuts are toasted.
  • Turn nuts out onto a sheet of parchment paper. Spread the nuts out. Allow nuts to cool and dry for a few  minutes then lightly chop them. 

Streusel Topping

  • Combine the butter, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and prepared maple walnuts* in a bowl butter in a small bowl. Set aside in the fridge to chill while you prepare the batter.

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 together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla.
  • Fold in half the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients followed by the milk. Add the rest of the dry ingredients. Stir 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 or two forks to break it up into chunks of the same size. Cover the top of the batter evenly with the streusel.
  • Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 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. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Once cooled completely, drizzle with frosting. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 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 over cooled pumpkin bread. 

Notes

*Walnuts: Use walnuts or your favorite type of nuts with or without the maple glaze. If you skip the maple glaze step, add an additional tablespoon of brown sugar in place of the maple syrup. To make this nut-free, substitute the maple walnuts with an additional 1/4 cup of flour and an extra tablespoon of brown sugar.
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.
Storage: Store unfrosted pumpkin loaf 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. 
Nutrition Information: The nutrition information provided is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 223mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 5090IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg