Pumpkin Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting
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Welcome fall and pumpkin spice season with this pumpkin loaf with cream cheese frosting! This moist pumpkin bread is packed with pumpkin spice flavor thanks to pumpkin puree and all the warm spices. It’s topped with an optional cream cheese frosting too!
Who else is waiting all year for pumpkin spice season? This pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting is the loaf version of my favorite pumpkin sheet cake! It’s the perfect recipe to make for a chilly fall day.
Just like my vegan pumpkin muffins, this pumpkin bread is made without a stand mixer. All you need is a whisk and some bowls! How easy is that? You can also add in mix-ins to customize your pumpkin bread!
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting
- You don’t need any fancy equipment to make the pumpkin loaf, but you will need a hand mixer to make the cream cheese frosting.
- I’m using simple ingredients that I bet you already have in your pantry!
- Thanks to oil, this pumpkin bread is super soft and moist.
Ingredients Needed
- Pumpkin: Make sure you’re using 100% canned pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has spices and sugars added to it!
- Milk: You can use regular whole milk or dairy-free milk.
- Oil: Feel free to use any neutral oil, like sunflower oil or vegetable oil. You just want something that doesn’t smell or taste strong.
- Spices: We’re doing the perfect combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves to get all the warm spices!
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven and prepare your baking pan!
Step 2: Whisk the pumpkin puree with the oil and white sugar. Add in the eggs, milk, and vanilla.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together then add to the bowl with wet ingredients.
Step 4: Pour the pumpkin batter into the pan and bake!
Step 5: Mix the butter, vanilla, and cream cheese together.
Step 6: Add in the powdered sugar then frost the cooled loaf!
Making this Pumpkin Bread Dairy-Free
You all know that I love creating dairy-free recipes that taste like the real deal! And this pumpkin loaf with cream cheese frosting is no exception. If you’re dairy-free like me, here are a few simple swaps you can make to make this recipe dairy-free.
Swap out the milk in the loaf for dairy-free milk, as well as the butter in the frosting. You’ll also want to use dairy-free cream cheese for the frosting. I have found, while recipe testing, that some dairy-free cream cheese brands are better than others! I recommend using Violife if you can.
Expert Tips
- I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out your flour. It’s super easy to add too much flour if you’re using a measuring cup!
- If you don’t have a kitchen scale, then make sure you’re using the scoop and level method to weigh out your flour – it makes all the difference!
- You can use an 8×4 loaf pan or a 9×5 loaf pan, just note that the smaller loaf pan will take longer to bake in the oven.
- Feel free to add chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips to the batter just before pouring into your loaf pan!
- For even more pumpkin spice flavor, add a dash of spice to the cream cheese frosting as well!
Storage Instructions
Store the loaf in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Pumpkin Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pumpkin Loaf
- 1¼ cup (300 g) pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup (108 ml) sunflower oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil
- ¼ cup (63 ml) milk of choice, (regular or dairy free)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1¾ cup (219 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 Tablespoons (26 g) butter, softened, (regular or vegan)
- 2 oz (60 g) cream cheese, softened, (regular or vegan)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cup (180 g) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
Instructions
Pumpkin Loaf
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 8×4 loaf pan or 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the sides to make it easy to remove the loaf later.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a whisk or a mixer to mix together the pumpkin puree, oil, and white sugar until combined. Mix in the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices together and whisk. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 50-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then gently remove the loaf from the pan to finish cooling completely on the cooling rack.
- While the loaf cools, make the cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, use a mixer to beat the butter, vanilla extract, and cream cheese until combined.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar and mix. Refrigerate while you wait for the loaf to finish cooling. Once the loaf has cooled completely, spread the frosting on top of the loaf, then slice and enjoy.
Equipment
Video
Notes
The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Photography by: Kelly at Bake & Bacon
This recipe is so very good! Easy to make too!