Pumpkin Bread
A perfectly spiced, moist Fall Pumpkin Bread with a brown sugar streusel topping. This is the best pumpkin bread recipe!
Stop what you are doing right now. Put on your shoes. Grab your wallet. Drive to the nearest grocery store. Go straight to the baking aisle and load up your grocery cart with canned pumpkin.
It's that time of year, y'all!
BRING ON the PUMPKIN DESSERTS! This is the time of year to light the warm cider or pumpkin candle, crank up your oven, and devour all things pumpkin.
I set out to find the best pumpkin bread recipe. First of all, it had to be moist. It had to have some warm spice to it with notes of cinnamon and pumpkin spice without being too overpowering. It had to slice well and hold up to a dab of softened butter. Oh, and it had to have a topping. A streusel topping put this pumpkin loaf over the top!
This pumpkin bread is the best I have ever tasted. I test and re-test to find the perfect pumpkin bread recipe. This has a mixture of oil, which makes it extra soft and moist, cream cheese, which gives it a creamy tangy flavor, and buttermilk, which creates a tender texture.
The spices used in this pumpkin bread are simple -- cinnamon and pumpkin spice. I wanted to simplify it so you don't have to buy six different spices at the grocery store.
This pumpkin streusel bread has a brown sugar topping that is made with simple ingredients -- butter, brown sugar, and flour. It creates a crunchy, sugary topping that makes this pumpkin bread so heavenly. If you love a lot of topping, feel free to double the ingredients to make twice as much topping.
How to make the BEST PUMPKIN BREAD:
- Start off by cooking pumpkin puree over medium heat. This helps to create a perfect pumpkin flavor since it is the star ingredient. Let it cook for about 6 minutes, stirring often.
- Add a mixture of oil, cream cheese, and buttermilk to add moisture and create a tender texture. This is the trifecta of ingredients that will make soft pumpkin bread.
- Add cinnamon and pumpkin spice to compliment the flavor of the pumpkin.
- Pour into greased pans and bake just until a toothpick comes out clean in the center. If the sides of becoming overbaked, cover the bread with foil until the center completely bakes through.
This recipe makes two loaves so it is perfect to keep one for yourself and give the other one away. This loaf of pumpkin bread is perfect to give away as teacher gifts, run to a neighbor, or give to a friend. It stays moist for days and can be eaten for breakfast, snack, dessert, or any time in between.
Can you freeze pumpkin bread?
This pumpkin bread can also be frozen in a freezer-safe resealable bag and it will stay good for weeks. It may take all of your willpower to not go to the freezer and eat it all up.
If you love pumpkin recipes, check out some of my most popular pumpkin recipes:
- Pumpkin Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting - Pumpkin Dump Cake
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The BEST Pumpkin Pie Recipe
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The perfect pumpkin bread recipe that is moist and perfectly spiced.
- (1) 15-ounce can Pumpkin Puree
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 1/2-1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Oil
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese (softened, cut into cubes)
- 4 large Eggs
- 1/4 cup Buttermilk
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Salted Butter (softened)
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium saucepan, heat pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice over medium heat. Stir often for about 5-7 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in sugar, brown sugar, oil, and cream cheese. Whisk for several minutes until all of the cream cheese is mixed in. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool before adding the eggs.
Whisk in eggs and buttermilk until fully mixed together. After it is completely smooth, fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until combined.
Grease two 8 1/2 inch x 4 1/2 inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray or butter. Pour batter into pans.
In a small bowl, add brown sugar, softened butter, and flour. Using a fork, press together until combined.
Sprinkle topping evenly over pumpkin bread batter. Bake for 44-48 minutes or until the center is cooked through. Check by placing a toothpick in the center to make sure it comes out clean.
Let pumpkin loaves cool for 20 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack. Let cool.
Serve with butter.
*Adapted from Cooking at Home with Bridget and Julia Cookbook
Happy Baking!
This is the best pumpkin I have ever had, let alone made! It is so moist and loaded with pumpkin flavor. I brought it into work and my coworkers devoured it in 5 minutes flat. Will definitely be putting this in my fall recipes hall of fame 🙂
Just came out of the oven! Ate the end piece—thinking of going in for another slice., the crunch on top!!!
The ABSOLUTE BEST pumpkin bread- so moist and the flavor says”Fall”!
I got such amazing feedback from this recipe. My family ate 2 loaves of this in a weekend, and I had to make another batch! I made the second batch with extra topping, and it was even better.
I made this and my family gobbled it up! I used the typo 00 for the flour. Great recipe!
Made it for the second time using your recipe! 3 small pans each time. Delicious absolutely, but can you please explain to me why this time after they cooled off, all 3 fell in the middle??
any ideas on what I could substitute cream cheese for? maybe applesauce?
Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
I'm not the best baker or cook. I've tried this recipe and the Zuppa Tuscana and they were a hit! My family is picky and they loved both so much!
Excellent recipe! It is a very light bread. The mixing is by hand whisking as opposed to using a mixer, which may contribute to the light texture. I did add chopped walnuts to the struesel & increased it by about a half. There won’t be any left over to freeze!
Made these today with the kids.... SOOOOOOO yummy! Thanks for another amazing recipe!
I have made this twice this week! The first time I made 5 mini loafs to deliver to neighbors. I only ended up delivering two because my we couldn't resist the other 3 loaves. I promised my teens I would make it again just for them if they left me the other two to take. So so good.
this sounds soo yummy...can't wait to make it, but I do not have buttermilk. I do, however, have non-fat plain greek yogart. & almond milk. can I use either of those & if so how much?
~thank you
I have made the Orange Bread and it is incredible!!!! I can already taste this recipe and I am sure it will be another success - can't wait!!!!
Came out exactly as shown beautiful and delicious
Came out exactly as pictured beautiful it made my house smells delicious It tastes even better thank you !!!
Well Melissa, if this recipe makes 2 loves, where is your other one left over???? LOL I'm on my way to the store right now so I will get the couple of extra things I need and I'm going to make me 2 loves today.. My boys are in Las Vegas at the car races that were yesterday, but they won't be home until tomorrow so I will have time to make them a treat. Thank you so much for this recipe. It looks so so good.
Hahaha you are so right, Donna! You are such a great Mama -- always cooking and taking care of your boys. 🙂
Nutrition breakdown please
Hi😀 I’ve made so many of your recipes and they have all come out amazing .. thank you! Quick question about the pumpkin bread recipe .. can it be put in a cake pan instead of loaf pans ?
Can you cook this in a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan
Trying this this evening as headed to visit my Mum tomorrow and
always liked zucchini and banana bread. I’m sure she will love this as well
Thanks for the recipe!
This pumpkin bread was absolutely delicious!! So moist and tender, and I loved that it had cream cheese in it. I did end up adding a cup of walnuts to the batter and another 1/4 cup to the streusel topping. The one negative comment I would add is the cooking time. I know all ovens are different, but mine was finally done after being in the oven for an HOUR!! Great recipe!!