Pumpkin Loaf
This pumpkin loaf has a deeply golden, spiced crumb that stays soft for days, topped with a thick swoosh of tangy cream cheese icing. It sits right between a quick bread and a snacking cake — warmly spiced, not overly sweet, and completely impossible to stop at one slice.
servings10 slices
Cost 8
Ingredients
Pumpkin Loaf
- 1 ½ cups 190g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup 150g granulated sugar
- ¼ cup 55g packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup 120ml vegetable oil
- 1 cup 240g canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon whole milk
Cream Cheese Icing
- 6 oz 170g full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups 180g powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 –2 tablespoon milk to adjust consistency
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both long sides for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, pumpkin puree, vanilla, and milk until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix — a few streaks of flour are fine at this stage.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 60–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil from the 45-minute mark.
- Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before icing — at least 1 hour.
- To make the icing, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until completely smooth. Add the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt and beat until fluffy. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the icing is thick but spreadable.
- Pile the icing generously on top of the cooled loaf and spread it to the edges with an offset spatula or butter knife, letting it come down the sides slightly. Slice and serve.
All temperatures stated are for conventional ovens. Decrease the temperature by 20°C/25°F or gas mark 1 for "fan" or air-fryers.