Vegan pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting is going to be your new favourite fall treat! It’s sweet, full of cozy spices, and the fluffy frosting takes it over the top.
Pumpkin bread is an iconic fall treat, but you know what? I think it’s about time we start making it year-round! One bite of this pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting and I think you’ll agree. This is a moist and flavourful quick bread made with pumpkin puree, warm fall spices, and tangy vegan cream cheese frosting for the perfect finishing touch. It’s truly irresistible!
Why You’ll Love Pumpkin Bread With Cream Cheese Frosting
- Bread worthy of a dessert . Some quick bread recipes straddle the line between breakfast or snack and dessert, but the cream cheese frosting makes this pumpkin bread a decadent treat!
- Moist and tender . The pumpkin puree keeps this bread ultra moist. No dry quick bread here! (My pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are also perfectly moist.)
- Easy to make . Quick bread recipes get their name from the fact that they don’t require yeast to rise, but they’re also quick to make—just mix up the batter and bake! The frosting also comes together in minutes.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- All-purpose flour – Or gluten-free flour. Use a 1:1 variety you like for baking.
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Fine sea salt
- Spices – Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice bring all the cozy flavour.
- Pumpkin puree – You can use canned or homemade pumpkin puree .
- Brown sugar – Or coconut sugar , cane sugar, or other granulated sugar.
- Oil
- Vegan milk – Any kind you have on hand as long as it’s unflavoured and unsweetened.
- Vanilla extract
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Vegan cream cheese – Store-bought or homemade vegan cream cheese .
- Vegan butter sticks – Or an equivalent amount of my vegan butter recipe.
- Vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- Sea salt
- Powdered sugar
- Cornstarch – This helps thicken the frosting.
How to Make Pumpkin Bread With Cream Cheese Frosting
Mix dry ingredients.
- Mix the dry ingredients . Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Mix the wet ingredients . Mix the pumpkin puree, sugar, and oil in a stand mixer for about 1 minute. Beat in the milk and vanilla extract.
- Combine wet and dry . Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients 1 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Fill baking pan.
- Bake . Transfer the batter to a greased, parchment-lined loaf pan and bake at 350ºF for 50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Make the frosting . Beat the vegan cream cheese and butter until combined, then beat in the vanilla and salt, followed by a cup of powdered sugar and cornstarch. Continue to add powdered sugar 1/3 cup at a time until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
- Frost the bread . Spread the frosting over the top of the cool pumpkin bread, then slice and serve.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overmix the batter . Overmixing can lead to a dense and tough bread. Mix the wet and dry ingredients just until they are combined.
- Make sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling . Pumpkin puree is made of only cooked pumpkin, while pumpkin pie filling contains additional spices and sweeteners.
- Grease and line your loaf pan for easy removal . Greasing the pan will prevent sticking, while lining it with parchment paper makes it easier to lift the bread out of the pan once it’s done baking.
- Let the bread cool completely before frosting . This prevents the frosting from melting. Even if the pumpkin bread is a little bit warm, the cream cheese frosting can deflate or melt!
Variations
- Make it nutty . You can fold chopped pecans or walnuts into the bread batter, sprinkle them on top of the cream cheese frosting, or both!
- Add chocolate chips . Vegan chocolate chips make a delicious addition to this pumpkin bread. Fold them into the batter before transferring to the loaf pan, or make this vegan chocolate chip pumpkin bread recipe, and add the cream cheese frosting over the top!
How to Store
- Refrigerator : Keep your pumpkin bread covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer : Freeze the pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting on a parchment-lined baking sheet until the frosting is solid. Then, wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
More Vegan Pumpkin Recipes
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
- Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Pumpkin Pancakes
- Pumpkin Brownies
Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour , or gluten free flour, 284 g/ 10 oz
- 2 teaspoons baking powder , 9.6 g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda , 3 g
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt , 2.8 g
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon , 2.3 g
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice , 5 g
- 1 cup pumpkin puree , 244 g
- 1 cup brown sugar , ( 200 g) or coconut sugar, cane sugar or other granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup oil , ( 80 g) melted
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons vegan milk , 150 mL
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2.7 ounces vegan cream cheese , bring to room temperature, 75.67 g
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons vegan butter sticks , bring to room temperature, 38 g ( 1.3 ounces)
- ⅓ teaspoon vanilla extract , or vanilla paste
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1-1 ⅓ cups powdered sugar , sifted ( 120 g for 1 cup, 160 g for 1 ⅓ cups)
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon cornstarch , sifted ( 10.67 g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice ingredients and whisk together to remove any lumps.
- In a standing mixer or with a whisk, mix the pumpkin puree, sugar, and oil until partially combined for about 1 minute. Add in the milk and vanilla extract and combine for another minute until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix one cup at a time into the wet ingredients on a medium to low speed until it’s all combined. Don’t over mix – up to 2 minutes while using your spatula to scrape down is enough. The batter will be thick.
- “Pour” batter into the loaf pan.
- Bake for 50 minutes. The loaf is finished when a knife or tester comes out clean.
- Allow to cool fully. Spread cream cheese frosting on top.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of a mixer, beat the vegan cream cheese and butter together for about 2 minutes until fully incorporated.
- Add in the vanilla extract or paste and the pinch of salt.
- Add in a cup of sifted powdered sugar and all of the sifted cornstarch. Mix for about 1 minute or until incorporated. Add in the powdered sugar 1⁄3 cup at a time until the frosting has reached the desired thickness.
- Place the frosting wrapped or covered into the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight, until being used. You can enjoy it right away, but it will thicken up beautifully in the fridge.
- Spread it over the pumpkin bread on the top. Slice, and enjoy!
Notes
- Refrigerator : Keep your pumpkin bread covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer : Freeze the pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting on a parchment-lined baking sheet until the frosting is solid. Then, wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour or gluten free flour, 284 g/ 10 oz
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 9.6 g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda 3 g
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt 2.8 g
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2.3 g
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 5 g
- 1 cup pumpkin puree 244 g
- 1 cup brown sugar ( 200 g) or coconut sugar, cane sugar or other granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup oil ( 80 g) melted
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons vegan milk 150 mL
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2.7 ounces vegan cream cheese bring to room temperature, 75.67 g
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons vegan butter sticks bring to room temperature, 38 g ( 1.3 ounces)
- ⅓ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1-1 ⅓ cups powdered sugar sifted ( 120 g for 1 cup, 160 g for 1 ⅓ cups)
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon cornstarch sifted ( 10.67 g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice ingredients and whisk together to remove any lumps.
- In a standing mixer or with a whisk, mix the pumpkin puree, sugar, and oil until partially combined for about 1 minute. Add in the milk and vanilla extract and combine for another minute until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix one cup at a time into the wet ingredients on a medium to low speed until it’s all combined. Don’t over mix – up to 2 minutes while using your spatula to scrape down is enough. The batter will be thick.
- “Pour” batter into the loaf pan.
- Bake for 50 minutes. The loaf is finished when a knife or tester comes out clean.
- Allow to cool fully. Spread cream cheese frosting on top.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of a mixer, beat the vegan cream cheese and butter together for about 2 minutes until fully incorporated.
- Add in the vanilla extract or paste and the pinch of salt.
- Add in a cup of sifted powdered sugar and all of the sifted cornstarch. Mix for about 1 minute or until incorporated. Add in the powdered sugar 1⁄3 cup at a time until the frosting has reached the desired thickness.
- Place the frosting wrapped or covered into the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight, until being used. You can enjoy it right away, but it will thicken up beautifully in the fridge.
- Spread it over the pumpkin bread on the top. Slice, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Refrigerator : Keep your pumpkin bread covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer : Freeze the pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting on a parchment-lined baking sheet until the frosting is solid. Then, wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition
Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting https://jessicainthekitchen.com/pumpkin-bread-with-cream-cheese-frosting/ October 14, 2024
With tender spiced apples and a cinnamon brown sugar oat topping, this apple crisp recipe is an easy fall dessert everyone will love!
Apple crisp is a classic autumn dessert that’s easier than making apple pie because it swaps the pie crust for a crumbly oat topping. You get the same cinnamon-spiced baked apples, just in a form that’s a little more doable for busy days!
Why You’ll Love This Apple Crisp Recipe
- Cozy fall flavour . The warm spices and sweet-tart apples make this vegan apple crisp impossible to resist!
- Easy to make . You don’t have to roll out pie crust with an apple crisp! Just sprinkle the oat mixture over the top of the apples, and it bakes up perfectly.
- A balance of textures . The combination of soft baked apples and crunchy oat topping creates a satisfying contrast in textures. (Don’t forget to add a scoop of vegan ice cream or coconut whipped cream on top for another layer of texture, too!)
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Apple Filling:
- Apples – Granny Smith apples are great if you like tart flavor, or Honeycrisp for a more balanced sweet- tart flavor.
- Sweetener – Maple syrup or brown sugar.
- Lemon juice
- Spices – Ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg add warmth to the filling.
- Vanilla extract
- Cornstarch or tapioca flour – This thickens the filling.
For the Crisp Topping:
- Rolled oats – Also known as old-fashioned oats.
- All-purpose flour – I haven’t tried it myself, but I think a 1:1 gluten-free flour would also work in this recipe if you want to make a gluten-free vegan apple crisp.
- Coconut sugar or brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Coconut oil
- Sweetener – Maple syrup or agave nectar.
Prepare apple filling.
How to Make an Apple Crisp
- Prepare the apple filling . Toss the peeled, sliced apples with all of the other filling ingredients, and spread them into a greased square baking dish.
- Make the topping . Combine the rolled oats, flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Then, stir in the melted coconut oil and maple syrup.
- Assemble the crisp . Sprinkle the crisp topping over the apples.
- Bake . Bake the apple crisp in a 350ºF oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the apples are tender.
- Serve . Cool for 10 minutes, then serve.
Tips and Variations
- Use high-quality apples . There’s no way to make bland, lackluster apples into a delicious apple crisp. It just won’t work! The apples should taste good raw if you’re using them for baking.
- Cut the apples to uniform size . This ensures they’re all baked through at the same time.
- Add some crunch . Sliced walnuts, chopped pecans, or chopped walnuts can be added to the topping for additional crunch and some nutty flavour. (You may need to tent the baking dish if the nuts start browning too quickly in the oven.)
- Switch up the fruit . A firm pear can be a great addition to the apple filling. Simply use half apples and half pears for a twist on the classic apple crisp.
How to Store
- Refrigerate : Store leftover apple crisp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze : You can also freeze this dessert by wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap or transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep well for up to 3 months.
- Reheat : Allow frozen apple crisp to thaw in the refrigerator. Warm leftovers in a 350ºF oven or in the microwave until heated through.
More Apple Recipes
- Apple Pie Pancakes
- Apple Streusel Muffins
- Hot Spiced Apple Cider
- Apple Chips
- Apple Pie Overnight Oats
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling:
- 4 large apples , such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp, 6 cups when sliced, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup , or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch , or tapioca flour
For the Crisp Topping:
- 1 cup rolled oats , 90 g
- ½ cup all-purpose flour , 60 g
- ½ cup coconut sugar , or brown sugar, 85 g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted , 44 g
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup , or agave nectar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×9-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and cornstarch until the apples are evenly coated.
- Spread the apple mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- In another bowl, combine the rolled oats, flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the melted coconut oil and maple syrup to the dry ingredients. Stir until the mixture is well combined and crumbly.
- Evenly sprinkle the crisp topping over the apples in the baking dish, covering them completely.
- Bake the apple crisp in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Allow the apple crisp to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve warm, optionally with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or a dollop of vegan whipped cream.
Notes
- Refrigerate : Store leftover apple crisp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze : You can also freeze this dessert by wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap or transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep well for up to 3 months.
- Reheat : Allow frozen apple crisp to thaw in the refrigerator. Warm leftovers in a 350ºF oven or in the microwave until heated through.
