Super Moist Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

Super Moist Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting has a soft, tender crumb, plenty of pumpkin flavor and the perfect blend of warm fall spices. A generous layer of creamy, tangy cream cheese frosting makes this easy pumpkin bread even better.

Prep Time10

Cook Time42

Cooling and frosting35

Total Time1 27

Course: Dessert

Servings: slices

Calories: 261kcal

Author: Sally Humeniuk

Equipment

Mixing bowls
hand-held mixer
9x5 loaf pan

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bread

1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine sea salt
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
¾ cup (160g) packed light brown sugar
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup neutral oil such as avocado or canola oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces full-fat block cream cheese softened
4 Tbsp (¼ cup) unsalted butter softened
1 cup (120-125g) powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
⅛ tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

Prepare the oven and pan. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch light-colored metal loaf pan and line with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on two sides to easily lift out the bread.
Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp fine sea salt, 1½ tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground cloves
Combine the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil and vanilla until smooth and well combined.
2 large eggs, 1 cup pumpkin puree, ¾ cup (160g) packed light brown sugar, ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar, ⅓ cup neutral oil, 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Make the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture. Fold gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
Fill the pan. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Run the tip of a paring knife shallowly down the center of the batter to encourage the loaf to crack neatly as it bakes.
Bake. Bake for 42–45 minutes, beginning to check at 40 minutes. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted deeply into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached but no wet batter. Take care not to overbake.
Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it from the pan. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
Make the cream cheese frosting. Beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the softened cream cheese and beat just until smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar on low speed. Add the vanilla and salt and beat briefly until smooth and creamy.
4 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, 4 Tbsp (¼ cup) unsalted butter, 1 cup (120-125g) powdered sugar, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
Frost the pumpkin bread. Spread the frosting generously over the completely cooled loaf, taking it all the way to the edges and allowing some of the frosting to swoop slightly down the sides.

Notes

Pumpkin: Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Loaf pan: A light-colored metal 9 x 5-inch loaf pan works best. A dark pan may brown the outside more quickly before the center is fully baked.
Don’t overmix: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing can make the bread less tender.
Doneness: Begin checking the bread at 40 minutes. A toothpick inserted deeply into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter. Mine was perfectly baked at 42 minutes.
Cool before frosting: Be sure the loaf is completely cool before adding the cream cheese frosting so the frosting stays thick and creamy.
Storage: Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the bread covered in the refrigerator. For the best flavor and texture, enjoy within 2 days and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour before serving. The bread will keep longer, but the spice flavor begins to mellow after the second day.
Make ahead: This pumpkin bread is especially good the next day as the crumb becomes even more moist and the spices meld. You can bake and wrap the unfrosted loaf a day ahead and frost before serving, or refrigerate it already frosted.

Nutrition