Fall is all about the baked goods and the season wouldn’t be complete without the most incredibly moist pumpkin bread! The spices are warm and cozy and just when you didn’t think it could get better, we add brown butter cream cheese frosting on top!
Making the Pumpkin Bread
My favorite part about this recipe other than them being yummy of course is that it’s actually pretty easy to make. The batter can be made in one large bowl so that means fewer dishes for us! You also make it all by hand so no stand mixer needed.
Start out by adding all the wet ingredients to a large mixing bowl. That includes the following:
- granulated white sugar
- light brown sugar
- large eggs
- vegetable oil
- pumpkin puree
- vanilla extract
Whisk together until completely smooth. Now we’ll add all the dry ingredients to the wet all in the same bowl. That includes the following:
- all-purpose flour
- pumpkin spice
- cinnamon
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
Whisk together vigorously or use a hand mixer to combine until you have a smooth batter consistency. Now that the filling and batter are both prepared, the loaves can be prepared.
Here is the link to the loaf pans I love to use! They’re sold on Amazon. Just butter/oil and line the pan with parchment paper. This recipe makes one large loaf but if you wanted to make two shorter loaves, you could.
Pop in the oven to bake at 350°F until the center comes out clean when poked with a toothpick. It will take anywhere between 55 to 65 minutes depending on your oven.
The Frosting
Now I LOVEEE cream cheese frosting! It’s the only frosting I really like because the tanginess balances the sweetness and it doesn’t just taste like butter in buttercream. The crazy thing is we are going to make the cream cheese frosting even better by using brown butter. It’s the ultimate hack to adding so much flavor without needing any more ingredients.
If you’re not familiar with brown butter, you basically just melt down butter in a pan and cook it until the milk solids turn a brown color. Toasting the butter gives it a rich nutty flavor that is HEAVENLY.
After toasting it, the butter needs to be chilled just until it is solid at room temperature, not cold. Then add it to a mixing bowl along with room temp cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Feel free to add less powdered to your taste depending how sweet you like your frosting. You can always add less, taste, and then add more as you go.
Once the cake is cooked and then cooled down, add the frosting on top. Slice and enjoy!
Variations to Try
Now I opted for a cream cheese frosting for this pumpkin bread but there are so many other ways to enjoy this delicious dessert!
- keep it simple, no frosting and just pumpkin bread
- add chocolate chips
- add your favorite chopped nuts
- make a streusel and add it on top for a crunch
- instead of frosting, make an icing/glaze
- add pumpkin seeds on top for a crunch
- add a sweet cream cheese swirl in the middle or on top
If you tried this recipe and loved it, drop by down below and let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! Feel free to also leave a question there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to it.
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Pumpkin Bread with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
PUMPKIN BREAD
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FROSTING
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, browned
- 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
MAKE THE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To a large mixing bowl, add all the wet ingredients – white granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Whisk until completely smooth.
- To the same bowl, add all the dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk vigorously together until you have a smooth batter with no clumps.
- Grease a loaf pan with butter or oil spray and line with parchment paper. Add the batter into the loaf pan.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 55 to 65 minutes until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about an hour.
FROSTING AND ASSEMBLY
- Start by browning the butter.
- To a pan over medium heat, add the butter. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until it starts to bubble and then brown. Make sure not to cook it any further or it can burn. Transfer it to a bowl and allow it to cool so it’s not hot. You can transfer it to the fridge for a few minutes until it sets solid at room temperature.
- To a mixing bowl, add the browned butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Beat for 1 to 2 minutes until fluffy and smooth.
- Once the cake is cooled, add the frosting on top, adding as little or as much as you’d like.
- Slice and enjoy!
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out. I love hearing from you!
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