If you've never baked with pumpkin before, you need to change that! This Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting is delicious, a moist spiced pumpkin loaf cake topped with a fluffy cream cheese frosting.
This pumpkin loaf cake recipe is perfect to make around Halloween when the world has gone a little pumpkin crazy. It is an easy recipe to follow and is ready in no time at all.
If you love this recipe, try out this recipe for Black Velvet Cupcakes which are the perfect spooky season treat. And if you are looking for other seasonal bakes try out this recipe for an Apple and Blackberry Crumble or this recipe for an Apple Crumble Tart.
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Ingredients
You will need the simple ingredients below to make this pumpkin loaf with cream cheese frosting. Remember always to use fresh, room temperature ingredients when baking.
- Sunflower oil
- Extra-large eggs
- Granulated white sugar
- Self-raising flour
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Ground nutmeg
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Greek yogurt
- Pumpkin puree
- Powdered sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Cream cheese
Sunflower oil - for this recipe I recommend using sunflower oil, but you can also use any other neutral-tasting vegetable oil.
Extra-large eggs - for this recipe I have used extra-large eggs. These eggs weigh about 64 grams out of their shell. If you don't have extra large eggs, rather weigh the eggs you have and then work out if more eggs need to be added.
Pumpkin puree - for this recipe you can use homemade or store-bought pumpkin puree. I made my own by steaming a bag of pumpkin pieces in the microwave and then pureeing them in a food processor.
Ground spices - I have chosen to use a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg for this recipe. You can do the same or add your favorite spice combination or use ready-mixed pumpkin spice.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow the instructions below to make this recipe for homemade Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting. First, you will be making the loaf cake and then the cream cheese icing.
Instructions for pumpkin loaf
STEP 1: Beat eggs, sugar, and oil. Add the oil, eggs, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 2-3 minutes.
STEP 2: Add dry ingredients. Sift together the salt, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
STEP 3: Add vanilla, yogurt, and pumpkin. In a large jug combine the wet ingredients - the yogurt, pumpkin puree, and vanilla, and slowly pour this into the loaf cake batter with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free.
STEP 4: Bake. Pour the pumpkin batter into a prepared loaf pan lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180C (350F) for about 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow the loaf to cool in its tin for about 40 minutes, then turn it onto a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
Instructions for frosting
STEP 1: Beat butter and icing sugar. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter, and icing sugar. Beat at medium speed until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
STEP 2: Add the cream cheese. Add the cubed cream cheese to the icing sugar mixture and beat again until combined. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and mix again at high speed until light a fluffy. This can take up to 5 minutes.
STEP 3: Decorate. Place the cooled loaf cake onto a serving plate and frost the top of the cake with the cream cheese frosting. Slice and serve.
Hint: To avoid lumpy cream cheese frosting make sure you are using room-temperature butter and cream cheese.
Equipment
To make the fluffy cream cheese frosting I recommend using a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer. The pumpkin loaf batter can be made by hand if needed.
You will also need a loaf tin 20x10x6cm (8x4x3inch).
Storage
This loaf cake keeps well and can be enjoyed days after baking. Keep it covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4 days.
You can freeze this loaf cake after baking it, it will keep in the freezer for 2 months. Slice the cake into individual slices and wrap each one in plastic wrap before freezing. Allow the pumpkin loaf cake to come to room temperature before eating it.
Top tip
- Make sure you are using room temperature ingredients, especially for the cream cheese and butter in the frosting.
- Check the temperature of your oven with an oven thermometer.
- Beat the frosting until it is light and fluffy.
- Allow the loaf cake to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
FAQ
If you can't find pumpkin puree use homemade pumpkin puree instead. Do this by either boing or microwaving chopped pumpkin until tender. Then using a food processor to mash it. If it has a lot of liquid, use a kitchen towel to remove some of the moisture.
If your frosting is lumpy it is because you didn't use room temperature butter and cream cheese. In order to have a fluffy smooth frosting these ingredients must both be at room temperature.
If you don't have self-raising flour, use a combination of all-purpose flour and baking powder. For this recipe use 270grams of flour and one tablespoon of baking powder.
This pumpkin loaf cake is super moist and delicious with a great pumpkin flavor, the perfect way to enjoy pumpkin season! As a pumpkin lover, my best is enjoying a slice of pumpkin bread with a cup of coffee after a long day!
If you make this easy pumpkin bread recipe and love it please leave a comment and star review at the bottom of this post, this helps me and my blog so much! And don't forget to get in touch on Instagram @with_love_kitty
Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pumpkin Loaf Cake
- 120 ml sunflower oil
- 3 extra-large eggs
- 250 grams granulated white sugar
- 270 grams self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 160 grams Greek yogurt
- 130 grams pumpkin puree
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 40 grams unsalted butter
- 250 grams icing sugar
- 145 grams cream cheese
Instructions
Pumpkin Loaf Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a loaf tin 20x10x6cm (8x4x3inch) with oil and parchment paper.
- Add the oil, eggs, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 2-3 minutes.
- Sift together the salt, flour, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
- In a jug combine the yogurt, pumpkin puree, and vanilla, slowly add this to the loaf batter with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, ensuring the batter is well mixed.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Allow the loaf to cool in its tin for about 40 minutes, then turn it onto a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter, and icing sugar. Beat at medium speed until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the cubed cream cheese to the icing sugar mixture and beat again until combined. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and mix again at high speed until light a fluffy. This can take up to 5 minutes.
- Place the cooled loaf cake onto a serving plate and frost the top of the cake with the cream cheese frosting. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Lee says
I’m obsessed with this recipe and can’t wait to make it again, thanks so much for sharing