Warm, spiced, and wonderfully soft, this 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.
Looking for more pumpkin recipes? Try our Classic CWA Style Pumpkin Scones, Gingerbread Loaf Cake With Pumpkin or Pumpkin and Maple Pancakes.
Quick look at Pumpkin Bread With Cream Cheese Icing
- ⏲️ 15 mins hands-on time.
- 🛒 Ingredients: Just 2!
- 🍽️ Makes: 1 loaf (12 slices).
- 🧑🍳 Difficulty: Easy - kid-friendly recipe.
- 🗃️ Make ahead: 5 days in an air-tight container or freeze.
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.
Apart from a few slices my friends ate when I took the cake to a picnic the first time I made it, I devoured every skerrick of it. It was that good. It has been 10 years since that picnic & I can confirm, it's every bit as delicious today (& my kids love it!).
Why Make This Pumpkin Bread With Cream Cheese Icing
- Super Simple - this recipe requires only 15 minutes of hands-on prep, making it a quick option for something a little fancy on even the busiest of days.
- Make-Ahead & Keeps Beautifully - Make it up to 5 days in advance—stored in an airtight container, it stays soft and delicious. It also freezes well, giving you the flexibility to bake ahead.
- Family-Friendly & Kid-Approved - This is a kid-friendly, easy recipe that’s perfect for little helpers or early bakers.
- Comforting, Cozy Flavour - It’s warm, spiced, and wonderfully soft. The loaf only gets better with time (although I doubt it will last long once you try it).
Recipe Ingredients
- Flour - plain, all-purpose flour
- Butter - the real stuff that comes in foil
- Pumpkin puree - either the canned stuff or fresh pumpkin cooked & pureed (that's what we used).
- Brown sugar - you could use other sugars but it will change the deliciously soft texture of this loaf.
- Milk - use full-fat cows milk.
Optional extra - walnuts.
- Milk - use full-fat
- Butter - the real stuff that comes wrapped in foil
- Lemon juice - bottled or fresh is fine
- Icing sugar - also called confectioner's sugar
- Cream cheese - go for full-fat here too
How to Make Pumpkin Bread With Cream Cheese Icing
Step 1 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, spices & baking soda.
Step 2 - In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, pumpkin, eggs, sugar, milk and nuts (if using) together until smooth.
Step 3 - Add the dry ingredients & mix until just combined.
Step 4 - Spread the batter into a greased and lined loaf tin. Make sure the paper extends over the long sides to make it easier to take the cake out of the tin. Bake at 170C fan-forced for 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Step 5 - Leave in the tins for 10 minutes to rest.
Step 6 - Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
Step 7 - Place the cream cheese, butter and lemon juice in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth.
Step 8 - Add the icing sugar and beat until it is smooth. You may need to add the milk, a little at a time, to thin it.
Step 9 - Continue to beat until it turns a beautiful white colour
Step 10 - Spread on top of the cooled cake.
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.
Recipe
Harvest pumpkin bread with cream cheese icing
Ingredients
Loaf
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice
- ⅓ cup cool to cold butter cut into small cubes
- ½ 16 oz can pureed pumpkin or ¾ cups cooked, pureed pumpkin
- 2 free-range eggs slightly beaten
- 1 c lightly-packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ cup chopped walnuts optional
Icing
- 50 g 3oz softened cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon softened butter
- ¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon milk or as needed
- 2 cups icing sugar powdered sugar, depending on how sweet you like your glaze
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 170C (350F) fan-forced and grease and line a 22x10cm (9x5inch) or similar loaf tin 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 (if using) together until smooth (with nut lumps obviously).
- With the motor on low, slowly add the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Transfer the batter to the tin and smooth out the top.
- Bake the loaf for 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave in the tin for 10 minutes to rest then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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 cake.
Notes
Nutrition
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!