Pumpkin Bread and Cream Cheese Frosting

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1 5

Servings: bread loaf

Calories: 335kcal

Author: Emily

This pumpkin bread is moist, full of flavor and so easy to make and the cream cheese frosting makes it even better!

Preheat the oven to 350°F and prep the bread pan with parchment paper and/or non-stick spray and flour. I used a 9x5x3 loaf pan.
In a mixing bowl add the flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, baking powder, and salt and mix together with a whisk or a spoon. Set aside.
Place the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in another mixing bowl and beat everything together with a hand mixer. Once combined, add the pumpkin and apple sauce and beat everything together again.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine with a rubber spatula. This will make sure all of the ingredients are mixed together but you don't overmix and your bread be nice and moist.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, give it a tap on the counter to release bubbles, and bake for 50-60 minutes. Check with a toothpick and when it comes out clean, your bread is done. A darker pan will cook faster, my bread only took 50 minutes.
Remove the bread from the pan and allow it to cool on a wire rack. Once completely cool, you can add the cream cheese icing and any desired toppings.

Place the cream cheese and vegetable shortening in a mixing bowl and beat on medium smooth until combined.
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat for another 2-3 minutes until everything is fully combined and the frosting is nice and smooth.
Frost the cooled pumpkin bread using a slanted spatula or rubber spatula. Add toppings if desired and enjoy! Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Store any leftover pumpkin bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. For longer storage, keep it in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for 3-4 days.
You can freeze pumpkin bread for up to 2-3 months without the frosting. Thaw the bread in the refrigerator overnight and then add the frosting before serving.
You can use canned pumpkin puree for this recipe, and it is a convenient alternative to fresh pumpkin puree. However, ensure you are using pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling which has added spices and sugar.
Use High-Quality Ingredients: Using high-quality ingredients can make a huge difference in the flavor and texture of your pumpkin bread. Opt for fresh pumpkin puree or high-quality canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow your eggs, butter, cream cheese, and pumpkin puree to come to room temperature before making the batter. This ensures that the ingredients combine smoothly, resulting in a uniform batter
Don't Overmix the batter: Overmixing the batter can lead to dense bread loaf. Use a spatula to combine the dry and wet ingredients to avoid over-mixing
Bake Until Just Done: Use a toothpick to check for doneness. Insert it into the center of the bread, if it comes out clean, the bread is done. Overbaking will result in a dry bread loaf
Cool Before Frosting: Allow the bread to cool completely before applying the cream cheese frosting. If the bread is warm, the frosting will melt and become runny.