Description

Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting is a cozy fall loaf that combines moist spiced pumpkin bread with a crunchy streusel topping and a silky cream cheese glaze. It’s bakery-worthy yet simple enough to bake at home—perfect for holiday brunches, festive desserts, or a special autumn snack.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Streusel Topping

½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Pumpkin Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
¼ cup milk

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Make the Streusel: Mix flour, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in melted butter until crumbly. Chill until ready to use.
Prep the Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan, line with parchment, then grease again.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk melted butter, both sugars, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and eggs until smooth.
Combine: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined.
Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with streusel topping. Bake 55–65 minutes, checking at 50 minutes.
Cool: Let loaf cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Make Frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add powdered sugar, then milk until pourable.
Finish: Pour frosting over cooled bread. Slice and serve.

Notes

Don’t overmix batter—keeps bread soft and moist.

Start checking for doneness at 50 minutes.

Frost only after bread has cooled, or glaze will slide off.

Customize with pecans, walnuts, or a caramel drizzle.

Store frosted bread in the fridge; unfrosted can stay at room temperature.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 55–65 minutes
Category: Bread / Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American