Does anything feel like fall food more than classic pumpkin bread? Well, I am ready to elevate your experience with this Pumpkin Bread Recipe With Whole Wheat Flour And Cream Cheese Icing. Not only is this an incredibly moist pumpkin bread, but the nutty flavor of the whole wheat flour adds another dimension to the bread. Even if you are a new baker, this is a recipe you can nail- let me show you how. This is the perfect fall treat.
If you are on the search for all things pumpkin, let me share a few others I love. My pumpkin snickerdoodles are not only a favorite with my family, but friends as well. Instant Pot steel-cut pumpkin oats are a great way to start the day in a cozy way. Pumpkin and red lentil soup is another great way to use pumpkin uniquely. It is hearty and filling and perfect for a weeknight dinner. All of these boast the perfect pumpkin flavor.
3 keys to perfect quick bread
- Use the right kind of wheat flour- I say this all the time, just like the type of refined flour matters (think bread flour, all-purpose flour, cake flour), it matters with wheat flour too. Whole wheat pastry flour is a low-protein flour that will produce the best results.
- Do not overmix. This will result in a tough texture every single time. Don't overdo it!
- Be careful not to overbake. I would say this might be the most common mistake when it comes to using whole wheat flour.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and measurements is at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
- Whole wheat pastry flour- If you haven't used it before, it is a low-protein flour that makes it perfect for quick bread, cookies, cakes, etc. Using this flour will produce the soft, tender bread you are looking for.
- Baking soda
- Spices- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. This is the ultimate blend of warm spices for making spiced pumpkin bread.
- Canola oil- You can also use melted butter or other vegetable oil, but in this case, I prefer canola oil for tenderness.
- Sugar- I like to use a blend of both brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Eggs- Used as a binder and also for texture in the bread.
- Pumpkin puree- I prefer the flavor of canned pumpkin puree, but I will also teach you how to make it yourself below if you want.
- Vanilla- always, vanilla.
- Milk- this is for the batter and also for the icing as needed.
Cream cheese frosting
- Cream cheese- This needs to be at room temperature.
- Butter- room temperature butter here.
- Powdered sugar
- Pure vanilla- Since the icing is not baked, quality matters!
- Cinnamon- This is a spiced cream cheese icing.
- Milk- as needed
How to make
This can all be made by hand, but you can also use a hand mixer if you want.
Start by mixing the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a small bowl. Set this aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Add in the canola oil, milk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Mix this to combine. Next in is the brown and granulated sugar. Mix this in as well. Last is the dry ingredients. Mix these only until they are combined. Do not overmix.
PRO TIP: One of the major causes of tough quick bread made with wheat flour is over-mixing. Only mix until it is blended.
Line your loaf pan with parchment paper and pour the pumpkin bread batter into the pan.
Bake for 45 minutes then check the bread. I prefer to bake it to an internal temperature of 192-195 degrees. Mine typically takes between 50-60 minutes.
PRO TIP: Another tip to maintain moisture in the bread is to make sure you do not overbake the bread. This is the reason I check it with a thermometer instead of using the touch, insert, or time method. This is much more accurate.
Remove the bread from the oven when it is fully baked. Leave it in the pan for about 5 minutes, then gently pull up the parchment paper to remove it from the pan.
Let the loaf cool on a cooling rack until it has come to room temperature.
Mix the ingredients for the cream cheese icing in a medium bowl on low speed with an electric mixer. This can also be done by hand, but it is pretty hard to do.
Spread it over the top of the bread with an offset spatula or butter knife. Top with chopped pecans if you like, but this is optional. The homemade pumpkin bread is ready to serve!
How to make homemade pumpkin puree
- Selecting Pumpkins:
- Choose small to medium-sized pie pumpkins. These are smaller and sweeter than the large carving pumpkins.
- Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Wash and Cut:
- Wash the pumpkins to remove any dirt. Cut off the tops and bottoms of the pumpkins, then cut them in half.
- Remove Seeds:
- Scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers from the pumpkin halves using a spoon or ice cream scoop. You can save the seeds for roasting if you like.
- Place on Baking Sheet:
- Place the pumpkin halves, cut side down, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly greased.
- Roast:
- Roast the pumpkins in the preheated oven for about 45-60 minutes or until the flesh is fork-tender.
- Cool:
- Allow the roasted pumpkin halves to cool for a bit before handling.
- Scoop Flesh:
- Scoop out the soft flesh from the pumpkin halves using a spoon. The flesh should come away easily.
- Blend or Mash:
- Transfer the pumpkin flesh to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can mash it with a potato masher for a chunkier consistency.
Tip and tricks
- If you want to make this a chocolate chip pumpkin bread, this is very easy to do. Add in 1 cup of chocolate chips after everything is mixed. Only mix them to combine. Bake as directed and you have just changed this quick bread recipe to something even better!
- Adding pecans or walnuts adds a nutty flavor and texture that is perfect in pumpkin bread.
- You might be tempted to substitute in pure maple syrup for the white sugar, which you can do, but know that it will change both the flavor and texture dramatically.
- Store the leftover bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. If you want to freeze it, I like to slice, and then freeze the slices individually.
Want to know how to freeze pumpkin bread, I have a post all about that.
Pumpkin Bread Recipe With Wheat Flour And Cream Cheese Icing
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 8 ½x 4 ½ inch pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
Spiced Cream Cheese Icing
- 2 ounces softened cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- milk to add for consistency
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your loaf pan with parchment paper (if you are using), otherwise spray it with pan release and set it aside.
- In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- In another medium-size bowl, add the eggs and whisk to break them up. Next, add the oil, milk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Mix this to combine.
- To this add the brown and granulated sugar and mix to combine.
- Last in is the dry ingredients. Mix this to combine, but do not overmix. There should be very small lumps in it.
- Pour into your prepared pan and move it to the preheated oven.
- Bake for 50 minutes and check the temperature of the bread. You are looking for 195 degrees. Bake until it reaches the temperature. Remove from the oven.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then gently, using the parchment, remove the bread. Let it cool on a cooling rack at room temperature until it has cooled.
- Mix together the ingredients for the cream cheese icing. Whip until it is the consistency you want. I made mine a little thicker, but you can always thin it down a little by adding in another couple tablespoons of milk.
- Top the bread and serve.
Notes
- If you want to make this a chocolate chip pumpkin bread, this is very easy to do. Add in 1 cup of chocolate chips after everything is mixed. Only mix them to combine. Bake as directed and you have just changed this quick bread recipe to something even better!
- Adding pecans or walnuts adds a nutty flavor and texture that is perfect in pumpkin bread.
- You might be tempted to substitute in pure maple syrup for the white sugar, which you can do, but know that it will change both the flavor and texture dramatically.
- Store the leftover bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. If you want to freeze it, I like to slice, and then freeze the slices individually.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!