Pumpkin Bread + Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
This Pumpkin Bread + Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting is a family favorite! We make it every Autumn, and we (sometimes) share with friends. Enjoy!
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I have a confession to make. I didn’t like pumpkin until just a couple of years ago. As a kid, pumpkins were things you carved every Halloween. Sure, we sometimes toasted the pumpkin seeds, but I never understood why people ate pumpkin. I remember wondering why someone would want to eat the stringy stuff that you pull out of the pumpkin before carving it. My sister and mother loved pumpkin pie and pumpkin cheesecake, but I distinctly remember steering clear of the stuff.
Fast forward a few years. I finally broke down and decided I needed to understand the pumpkin craze which takes over every Autumn. I remember my first pumpkin anything was a homemade pumpkin muffin…and it was delicious! Holy cow, why had someone not introduced me to this stuff before!?! (I’m fairly certain my sister had tried, but when you’re a kid, you should never trust your siblings. She also tried to convince me to pay her a quarter to see her toy troll doll collection.) Not only did I love the flavor of pumpkin, but most pumpkin baked goods also include my two favorite spices ever: cinnamon and nutmeg. Needless to say, I’ve been making up for lost time by eating any and every pumpkin baked good that crosses my path!
This pumpkin bread is one of my absolute all-time favorite Autumn baking recipes. This bread works great as muffins, but I think my favorite is in loaf form. (Who am I kidding here? I devour these guys no matter what form they’re in.) And of course, no self-respecting pumpkin muffin or loaf is complete without a tasty, cream cheese frosting! This particular cream cheese frosting features brown sugar because…well, why not? This Pumpkin Bread shows up in our kitchen quite regularly throughout the Fall. We’ve even used these as neighbor and co-worker gifts for the holidays, and everyone always asks for the recipe. And here it is!
Pumpkin Bread + Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Bread
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp nutmeg
- ½ Tbsp salt
- ¾ cup oil
- 4 large eggs
- ⅔ cup water
- 15 oz canned pumpkin 1 can
For the Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- 12 oz cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Pumpkin Bread
- Grease and flour a loaf or mini-loaf pans (see note below).
- In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt). Stir until well combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients (oil, eggs, water, and pumpkin) and mix until well combined.
- Pour half of the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until fully combined. Repeat with remaining half of wet mixture.
- Pour batter into mini loaf pans or full-sized loaf pan. (See note below)
- Bake at 350°F for approximately 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into middle of cake comes out clean. (The size of the pan you use will change the baking time, so watch the cake carefully.)
For the Frosting
- In the bowl of a countertop mixer with the paddle attached, cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy in texture.
- Add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Mix until fully combined.
- Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing after each addition until fully incorporated.
I never really liked pumpkin (or any gord/squash really) until a few years ago either. Now I can’t get enough this time of year!
I know! It’s crazy…but I sure do love that pumpkin treats are everywhere this time of the year!!
You are not alone, I never had pumpkin desserts until a few years ago. In Sierra Leone pumpkin is always in savory dishes…just like squash. But ever since I moved here and started trying pumpkin sweets, I am obsessed. It’s so good and I am catching up. I will need to make up for lost time with this pumpkin bread my friend!! All that frosting is just making it easy 🙂
Wow! I had no idea you are originally from Sierra Leone…awesome!! I feel like I need to make up for the years of missed pumpkin yummies. This pumpkin bread really is our go-to Fall pumpkin recipe.
David,
Thanks for bringing over the Pumpkin Bread! Mike said it was in the middle of the rain storm. I had it as soon as I got home from my trip out of town.
For you dear readers, I am fortunate enough to have David as my neighbor!! I got a sample of this bread and it was moist and delicious!
Debbie
Thanks, Debbie! I did indeed brave the severe thunderstorm warning to deliver that loaf…but I’d do it again (and probably will now that Fall Baking season is upon us). Glad you enjoyed it!
Found your blog through Pinterest after searching for pumpkin bread recipe. SO glad I chose this one! YUM. And the frosting…oh my 🙂 thanks for a great recipe that we will use time and again!!! Looking forward to trying more recipes from your blog.
Wow, thank you so much for leaving a comment here, Kellie! I’m glad you found Spiced, too! I’m happy you enjoyed the pumpkin bread…it’s one of my favorites for sure. And feel free to let me know other thoughts and ideas in the future…I love chatting with other people who enjoy tasty foods! 🙂