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5 from 1 vote

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe makes two loaves of sweet and moist pumpkin bread, topped with a not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting. A classic fall recipe done right.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Fall
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 309kcal
Author: Katie

Equipment

  • 2 8½ x 4½ x 2½ loaf pans

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bread

  • 1 cup  vegetable oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 15 ounce can pureed pumpkin
  • 4 eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoons baking soda
  • teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with the rack in the middle position. Get two loaf pans ready by spraying them with a good amount of non-stick baking spray or lining them with parchment paper.
  • Mix batter. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, pumpkin, eggs, and vegetable oil using an electric hand mixer. Then add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Stir until everything is just mixed. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix again for a short while to make sure everything is mixed well.
    batter before and after adding dry ingredients.
  • Pour and bake. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pans. Then, bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pans for around 5 minutes before putting them onto a cooling rack. Allow the loaves to cool entirely before adding frosting.
    batter in 2 loaf pans and fully baked loaf.
  • Frost. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, melted butter, and vanilla extract using an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue beating until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Once the loaves are completely cooled, frost the tops.
    batter in 2 loaf pans and fully baked loaf.

Notes

Don't forget to use room temperature eggs for better mixing and smoother batter.
Since the recipe is sticky, make sure to spray your pans well and run a butter knife along the loaves before turning them out.
Feel free to use a different frosting, such as buttercream or a simple glaze instead of cream cheese.
If you want, you can use freshly pureed pumpkin, but it's a lot of work. If you're interested in making your own, follow these instructions.
Try adding chocolate chips, walnuts, or dried cranberries for more flavor and texture. You can also add spices to your taste - more cinnamon or a pinch of allspice can change the flavor.
You can certainly cut the recipe in half if you just want one loaf, but it freezes very well and uses a full can of pumpkin, so you might as well make two!

Nutrition

Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 326mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 290IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg