Warm, spiced, and wonderfully soft, this Harvest Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Icing is the perfect treat for autumn or any time you crave a cozy, homemade snack. It’s easy to make and topped with creamy icing for an irresistible finish.
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It's Secret Recipe Club time again! This month I was extra excited because I was assigned to the blog of our host Jane. Over on The Heritage Cook, Californian Jane seems to be as in love with cooking and baking as I am. She has a bit more experience than me and shares lots of tips and tricks along with mouth-watering recipes.
This is how it usually works for me when I get my assignment. I open the blog then continue to open random recipes in new tabs ending up with a screen full of delicious options. The next day I narrow it down and usually by day two I have my recipe. This time I was totally torn between the harvest pumpkin bread I finally settled on and cinnamon buns.
You know what happened next don't you? Yep I made them both. Stay tuned for the last cinnamon bun recipe you'll ever need. In fact I type this just minutes after licking cinnamon sugar from my fingers after devouring yet another bun for afternoon tea.
But back to the harvest pumpkin bread. I've said before that I'm not a pumpkin eater (maybe cause my name's not Peter? Oh so funny!) but I'm seriously growing to love pumpkin baked goods.
The recipe made two cakes so I gifted one to my grandma and apart from a few slices my friends ate when I took the other cake to a picnic, I have devoured every skerrick of it. It was that good.
The best part was that it got better with every day. I ate the last slice a week after baking and it was still perfect. The texture changed a little going from delicate to quite firm but I loved every mouthful.
Jane says that her family sometimes has this for breakfast without icing. I personally couldn't go past the cream cheese glaze but me being me I added extra icing sugar and turned it into icing instead.
Not into cream cheese? Never mind, there's also an option for caramel or rum buttermilk glaze. Seeing as the recipe makes two loaves, you could even make one of each! Then you can come back and tell me your favourite. Enjoy!
Recipe
Harvest pumpkin bread with cream cheese icing
Ingredients
Loaf
- 3-⅓ cups flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1-½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- ⅔ cup cool to cold butter cut into small cubes
- 1 16 oz can pureed pumpkin or 1 ½ cups cooked, pureed pumpkin
- 4 free-range eggs slightly beaten
- 2 c lightly-packed brown sugar
- ⅔ cup milk
- 1 cup chopped walnuts optional
- Icing optional (recipes follow below)
Icing
- 100 g 3oz softened cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon softened butter
- ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon milk or as needed
- 2-3 cups icing powdered sugar, depending on how sweet you like your glaze
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 170C (350F) fan-forced and grease and line two 22x10cm (9x5inch) or similar loaf tins so that the paper extends over the long sides.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and mixed spice together.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, pumpkin, eggs, sugar, milk and nuts together until smooth (with nut lumps obviously).
- With the motor on low, slowly add the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Divide the batter between the two tins and smooth out the tops.
- Bake the loaves for 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave in the tins for 10 minutes to rest then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- These are best made at least a day ahead and freeze well. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap.
Icing
- Place the cream cheese, butter and lemon juice in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth.
- Slowly add the icing sugar, alternating with milk until the icing is thick, white and spreadable.
- Spread on top of the cooled cakes.
Nutrition
Lisa the Gourmet Wog says
sounds yum Claire! I love pumpkin in every way and form, in a bread sounds most yum!
chitchatchomp says
How I'd love to dip my finger into that yummy cream cheese frosting right now. Looks beautiful!
Lesa @ Edesia's Notebook says
Gorgeous pumpkin bread! Pumpkin is one of my favorite things about fall.
Chocolate shavings says
Now this makes e excited for fall!
Molly Kelly says
Great selection of recipes! X
The Café Sucre Farine says
You've got my mouth watering Claire, it looks fantastic! Did you turn the side to the back where you were taking swipes at that icing? I only know you probably did that cause I certainly would.
Claire says
Haha no. No need... it made two cakes!
Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef says
this pumpkin bread looks perfect! love the icing :)
Kristin says
"Not into cream cheese?"... Who doesn't love cream cheese?! Yum, yum x
Stephanie@Henry Happened says
must be so good with that cream cheese icing! let the pumpkin recipes begin!
Jess says
I can't say I'm at all surprised to hear you have a methodology for picking your SRC recipe. ;) This looks amazing - I love the way pumpkin baked goods smell when they're in the oven - yum!
Hotly Spiced says
That does look very good. It looks a lot like a ginger loaf I make wit lemon icing. I can't wait for your cinnamon bun recipe. And I love your bone handled knife xx
Trisha says
Sounds like a lovely treat, no wonder it got polished off. I can't wait to see you post on the cinnamon buns too!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
I love a cake that gets better with age! And that cream cheese icing is definitely talking to me :D
angela@spinachtiger says
This is so timely. I'm craving a good pumpkin bread and all the different ways to glaze this sound delicious. Love the orange fabric. I'm so ready for Fall.
The Life of Clare says
I love pumpkin, in every way! I can't wait to bake my first pumpkin pie this year!
Kate | Food Babbles says
This looks wonderful! I adore pumpkin and this bread sounds fantastic. Love the cream cheese icing and that there are 2 other glaze options as well. Yum!
Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings says
YUM- Pinned :)
melissa@IWasBornToCook says
Love this bread - and love pumpkin season!
Camilla @ Culinary Adventures says
It's pumpkin time!! Hooray. I love the look of this bread. I'll definitely give it a try once I start to see pumpkins back in the markets. Thanks for sharing with the SRC.
Debbie says
I love pumpkin cake/bread. What is "mixed spice"? Is that like pumpkin pie spice which has cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom? I'm from California and bake all the time and have never heard of it. Thank you.
Claire says
Hi Debbie. It has cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. You could use pumpkin pie spice instead if you like.
Debbie says
Thank you.
Krista says
Oh this looks so good! A dear friend of mine would make me pumpkin bread every year at American Thanksgiving. This reminds me of that deliciousness. :-)
My Kitchen Stories says
Love anything pumpkin. Once baked it could be anything...which I am sure helps with your aversion to it. This loaf looks really good. Ill have to file it with the others . I have a whole cupboard full now, are you the same
Claire says
Haha yes I think that might be it. Oh yes there is a big supply!
Jane Bonacci, The Heritage Cook says
I'm so glad you liked the pumpkin bread and am tickled that you also fell in love with the cinnamon rolls - two of my favorites! This bread is beautiful and you did a fantastic job! Thank you for your kind words and I'm glad you enjoyed my blog. I love yours as well ~ so many fabulous options to choose from!!
Claire says
Yay Jane I'm glad I picked some of your favourites! Thanks for the fabulous recipes.
Stephanie - The Dessert Spoon says
I love baked pumpkin goods, especially when they also include spices and walnuts. I love your glossy cream cheese icing, but I will have to check out the rum buttermilk glaze. Delicious!
Claire says
I'm growing to love baking pumpkin goods. They're just so moreish!
Sweet as Sugar Cookies says
Hooray, it's pumpkin time again! That bread looks like a fantastic way to start off the autumn season.
Claire says
Definitely!