This Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting is the BEST Fall Dessert! It completely kicks off the holiday season. This bread is moist, delicious and impossible to stop eating.
I've tested this recipe twice this week and me and the kids have completely gobbled it up. I probably shouldn't be eating this with my coffee everyday, but it's way too good not to.
The recipe is also delish with a glass of cold apple cider or a hot coffee with a shot of this brown sugar simple syrup and pumpkin cold foam!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love The Recipe:
- It has all the Fall flavor you are looking for.
- The bread itself is delicious, but add the cream cheese frosting and it becomes phenomenal!
- It's really easy to prep and throw in the oven.
- The house will smell absolutely AMAZING and oh so festive!
If you love Fall desserts, be sure to check out my Apple and Blackberry Crumble, Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust, Mini Apple Pies and Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls.
Ingredients:
The Pumpkin Bread Ingredients:
All purpose flour- A versatile flour used in many baked goods to provide structure.
Baking Powder and Soda- Helps the bread to rise.
Salt-To enhance flavor.
Butter and Sugar-Add sweetness and creamed together creates air bubbles to help give the baked goods an airy texture.
Eggs- Adds Stability. It's crazy how much science is involved in baking. Sometimes I wish I would have paid more attention!
Pumpkin, Nutmeg, and Cinnamon- Brings in the Fall flavors to this Pumpkin bread. The canned pumpkin also helps to moisten the bread.
Sour Cream-For a moist bread.
Cream Cheese, butter, powdered sugar- Creates a creamy textured frosting, and cuts down on the sweetness of a traditional buttercream.
*Full recipe ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations:
Want to cut out some of the sugar? Just leave the icing out.
Not big on cream cheese icing, try my Whipped Buttercream Icing.
How to Make Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10 inch bread pan with baking spray. Line the bottom in parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine and set aside.
Step 3: Place the softened butter in the stand mixer and mix at medium speed for 1 minute. Add both granulated and brown sugars and combine on medium speed for two minutes.
Step 4: Next, add in the eggs and mix on low speed until incorporated.
Step 5: Mix in the pumpkin and sour cream, and blend together on medium speed until mixed well. Next, in two batches, slowly mix in the flour, just until incorporated.
Step 7: Pour the batter into a bread pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes until fully cooked. To test: Remove from oven and do the toothpick test: Insert the toothpick into the highest portion of the bread and after removing, check for any wet batter. Keep in mind that a few crumbs are okey dokey and it should be done.
Allow the bread to cool for at least an hour. Work a butter knife around the edges and it should be easy to remove. I dump it upside down into my hand, then place it back on the rack to cool to room temperature.
Step 8: After the bread has cooled to room temperature, begin the cream cheese frosting. In a stand mixer, mix together the butter and cream cheese on medium low speed.
Step 9: Add in the vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar. Pour in the milk a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. If you like your icing really thick, you may have leftover milk.
Step 10: Spread cream cheese icing over pumpkin bread.
Slice into wide slices and enjoy! I like to add a little sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon over the top, but that is totally optional.
Expert Tips:
- Baker's Tip: Make sure the cream cheese and butter are both softened for the frosting.
- Don't over mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Just blend until incorporated.
- If you use a different size bread pan, other than 10 inch, the cooking times will vary a bit.
Big on sweet breads? Try my Blueberry Pound Cake and Banana Bread with Crumble Topping too!
Recipe FAQs:
If butter is too hard, it will create clumps of butter and not allow air bubbles to be created when mixing with the sugars. Softened butter also helps the bread to rise. If it's melted, it won't create those air bubbles either.
The bread will puff up on top and create a crack down the center. You can also use the toothpick method, by sticking a toothpick down into the middle of the bread. Pull up slowly and look for raw batter. If it looks raw, cook in 5 minutes increments.
Frosting cake while it is still hot causes the frosting to melt down the sides and creates a real mess. Be patient and allow it to cool completely.
Bread Storage:
Once cooled and removed from the pan, store the bread in a large container. Don't seal it for a few hours, to keep moisture out. Then, slice as you go, leaving the loaf full, so that it stays nice and moist for a few days. Eat within 4 days.
Store in the fridge because of the cream cheese in the frosting recipe. When serving, allow it to sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes for the best taste.
More Fall Recipes You Will Love:
If you tried this Pumpkin Bread Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf of bread 1x
Description
This pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting is the Fall dessert! It completely kicks off the holiday season. This bread is moist and scrumptious.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups of all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 stick of salted butter, softened at room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar, dark or light is fine
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ cup of canned pure pumpkin
- ⅛ cup sour cream
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ stick salted butter (¼ cup), softened to room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons of whole milk
- You will also need a bread pan, baking non-stick spray, a stand mixer or hand mixer.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10 inch bread pan with baking spray. Line the bottom in parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- Place the softened butter in the stand mixer and mix at medium speed for 1 minute.
- Add white and brown sugars and combine on medium speed for two minutes.
- Next, add in the eggs and mix on low speed until incorporated. Mix in the pumpkin and sour cream, and blend together on medium speed until mixed well.
- Now in two batches, slowly mix in the flour. Only mix until combined.
- Pour pumpkin batter into the greased bread pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes until fully cooked. Remove from oven and do the toothpick test: Insert the toothpick into the highest portion of the bread and after removing, check for any wet batter. Keep in mind that a few crumbs are okey dokey and it should be done. Allow the bread to cool for at least an hour.
- Work a butter knife around the edges and it should be easy to remove. I dump it upside down into my hand, then place it back on the rack to cool to room temperature.
- Make the Frosting: After the bread has cooled down to room temperature, begin the cream cheese frosting. Baker's Tip: Make sure the cream cheese and butter are both softened!
- In a stand mixer, mix together the butter and cream cheese on medium low speed.
- Add in the vanilla extract. Reduce speed to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar.
- Pour in the milk a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. If you like your icing really thick, you may have leftover milk. That's ok.
- Spread cream cheese icing over pumpkin bread. Optional: Sprinkle a little bit of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon over the top of the icing.
- Slice into wide slices and enjoy.
Notes
Baker's Tip: Make sure the cream cheese and butter are both softened for the frosting.
Don't overmix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Just blend until incorporated.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Payton
So Yummy!