Chilly weather is in the air, which means it’s time for all things pumpkin spice! This recipe for Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting won't disappoint. This moist pumpkin bread is spiced to perfection with my homemade pumpkin pie spice (which already tastes incredible) and topped with an easy-to-whip-up tangy cream cheese vanilla frosting. This recipe makes a single loaf, but can easily be doubled. A slice of this easy quick bread is hands down the best fall treat!
The spices in the bread make it smell so good when you're baking it! The cinnamon, the ginger, nutmeg, and the clove, and start to fill your kitchen, so it makes your mouth water before it’s even done baking. Any time you make my pumpkin bread recipe with cream cheese frosting, it’s going to be a big hit.
Why You’ll Be Daydreaming About This Pumpkin Bread
This version of my classic pumpkin bread is extra impressive for several reasons. The loaf itself is incredibly moist and tender throughout. It rises beautifully (no dense bottom line in this loaf), bakes consistently and evenly, and has that signature dark caramel-brown color that you want from pumpkin bread.
The texture is amazing, but what I REALLY love about this pumpkin bread is the amount of pumpkin spice. I used my reliable homemade pumpkin pie spice and tested this pumpkin bread many times to make sure I got the right spice combination and the right amount of spice. I wanted to achieve a perfect balance of spices that highlights all the flavors of fall without letting any get overpowered. It's this attention to detail that sets this bread apart and makes it truly special.
The pumpkin bread is made even more delicious with an easy cream cheese topping. After all, who doesn’t love a frosted cake? My cream cheese frosting recipe only takes 5 minutes to make but hits all the high notes. Its sweet mellow bite complements the warm pumpkin bread; and the slight tanginess pairs incredibly well with the richness of the pumpkin pie spices. It’s just the right amount of frosting to add that extra sweetness but not overwhelm the taste of the cake.
Try my Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins for more of the pumpkin and cream cheese flavor combo. You can also keep it simple with my easy and classic pumpkin bread recipe.
Key Ingredients for This Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread
Below are the key ingredients for this moist, delicious cream cheese pumpkin bread.
- Pumpkin Puree: I always recommend using Libby’s Pumpkin Puree. I tested the pumpkin bread recipe multiple times using homemade pumpkin puree, organic pumpkin puree, and Libby’s. Libby’s was the hands-down winner. Libby makes their puree with a specific type of pumpkin (pie pumpkin) better suited to baking. If you want to make your own, I have a pumpkin puree recipe you can follow.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: I think it’s always best to make homemade pumpkin pie spice over store-bought versions so that you can control the exact spice combination. I have a tried and true pumpkin pie spice recipe that I’ve been using for many years and that doesn't have any added sugar.
- Dark Brown Sugar: This sweetens the loaf, deepens the color, and adds a molasses note. Dark brown sugar is my go-to, but light brown sugar is a fine substitute if that's more convenient.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: This is a simple and easy frosting to make. The main ingredients are full-fat cream cheese, unsalted butter, and powdered sugar, . I recommend Philadelphia brand cream cheese because of it's creaminess and signature tang. For a smooth frosting make sure to sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the other ingredients.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
Once you've assembled all the ingredients it takes less than 15 minutes to make this batter by hand (no mixer required).
Step 1: Butter the sides and bottom of a loaf pan, then coat it with flour. Line the pan with parchment paper, using clips to hold it in place to help lift the baked pumpkin bread out later.
Step 2: Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then set it aside to cool.
Step 3: Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium-sized bowl.
Step 4: In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and homemade pumpkin pie spice.
Step 5: Add the eggs and whisk until the mixture is thick and lighter in color.
Step 6: Whisk in the cooled melted butter, followed by the pumpkin puree and buttermilk
Step 7: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
Step 8: Don’t overmix - a few lumps remaining are okay.
Step 9: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly.
Step 10: Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with no more than a few crumbs clinging to it. Rotate the pan halfway through the baking time.
Step 11: Once baked, let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for a few minutes. Run a knife along the edges, then lift the bread out of the pan and let it cool completely before adding cream cheese frosting, otherwise, the frosting will melt.
How to Make This Easy Cream Cheese Frosting
Step 12: Place the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and beat with a hand mixer until the ingredients are well combined and smooth.
Step 13: Add the powdered sugar, then mix on a low speed until the frosting is creamy and smooth. Mix in milk or heavy cream to get the thickness you want.
Step 14: Spread the cream cheese evenly and generously over the top of the cooled pumpkin bread. Slice, and serve.
What to Pair with Frosted Pumpkin Bread
A piece of this frosted pumpkin bread would be phenomenal with a warm cup of chai or Assam tea. Earl gray or lady gray tea with more bergamot flavor are fantastic options too. This bread also works great with a strong brewed coffee, as the slight bitterness pairs nicely with the sweet loaf and frosting.
How to Freeze Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin bread is the perfect baked good for making ahead and freezing. You’ll be able to enjoy its cozy flavors even long after the fall season. These instructions are for freezing the bread without the cream cheese frosting Here's how you do it:
- Cool Completely: It's essential to let this pumpkin bread cool entirely to room temperature before freezing. This prevents excess moisture from getting trapped, which could lead to ice crystals and a soggy texture when thawed.
- Wrap Tightly: Wrap the cooled bread securely in 2 layers of plastic wrap. If freezing individual slices, wrap each one separately
- Container or Bag: Place the wrapped bread in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing to prevent freezer burn.
- Freeze: Label the container or bag with the date and contents. I don’t know about you, but if I don’t label it when I put it in the freezer, I can forget exactly how long it’s good for.
- Thaw the Bread: Remember to thaw the bread in the refrigerator the night before serving.
You can wrap individual slices of the pumpkin bread (without the frosting) for easy snacking without the need to thaw the entire loaf. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap Allow the slice to thaw at room temperature and then toast it in the toaster.
How Long Can You Freeze Pumpkin Bread? Pumpkin bread can be frozen for up to 2 months for best quality. Any longer than this, the texture and flavor might deteriorate.
My Secrets for a Successful Bake
- Make sure you've got enough leavening. Leavening agents in your pumpkin bread recipe are key to ensuring a good rise and avoiding a dense bottom.
- Weigh your dry ingredients. This is the most reliable way to make sure the recipe works well.
- A lumpy batter is okay. It’s completely normal for the bread batter to be a little lumpy and not super smooth.
- Adjust cooking time according to pan size. If you’re using a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, start checking the pumpkin bread for doneness after 40 minutes.
- Wait for the cake to cool before frosting. No one wants runny drippy frosting messing up the cake! If you do want to eat it warm, give the bread at least half an hour so that it sets and doesn’t develop that gummy texture that comes from cutting a cake while it's still hot.
If you make this moist and tender pumpkin bread please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bread
- 1-3/4 cups (220 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) white granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 large (100 grams) eggs room temperature
- 8 tablespoons (114 grams) unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup (227 grams) pumpkin puree Libby's recommended
- 1/4 cup buttermilk room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces (113 grams) full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons milk or heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
Pumpkin Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rub butter along the sides and bottom of the loaf pan. Add flour to the pan and rotate it around to coat the sides and bottom. Line the pan with parchment paper and use clips to hold the paper in place. The parchment paper is used as a sling to lift the bread out of the pan when it’s done.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat to prevent splatter and avoid evaporation. Remove the butter from the heat and set it aside. Let it cool to about 85°F.
- Put the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk for 30 seconds to combine.
- Place the white sugar, brown sugar, and the pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl. Use a whisk to combine. Use your fingers to break up any brown sugar clumps.
- Add the eggs and whisk for 1 minute. The mixture will be thick and lighter in color. Add the cooled melted butter, whisk until incorporated, and then add pumpkin puree and whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk and whisk until thoroughly incorporated.
- Add all the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix with a silicone spatula until the dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed in. There may be a few lumps and that is okay. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into a loaf pan and use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a long skewer inserted in the center comes out clean with no more than a few crumbs clinging to it or the center registers at 195-200°F. Rotate the pan after the first 30 minutes of baking.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Run a butter knife along the edges of the bread that are next to the loaf pan. Lift the bread from the pan and place it back on the cooling rack. Allow the bread to cool to room temperature before adding the cream cheese frosting.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place the cream cheese, butter, butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and beat with a hand mixer until the ingredients are well combined and smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until the frosting is creamy and smooth. Mix in 1-2 teaspoons of milk or heavy cream depending on the desired thickness.
Frost the Pumpkin Bread
- Spread the cream cheese over the top of the pumpkin bread.
How to Store the Pumpkin Bread.
- The pumpkin bread without the cream cheese can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. After two days, store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Once the cream cheese frosting is added the bread can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours. To store it in the refrigerator, wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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