This is seriously the best pumpkin bread recipe EVER. Not only is it incredibly moist, but it also has a crunchy pumpkin spice streusel topping and a sticky maple glaze. It’s also SO easy to make and you don’t even need a mixer! So grab a bowl and a whisk because you’re about to make some life-changing pumpkin bread.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN BREAD
I first created this recipe before I even started Butternut Bakery. At that time, I honestly wasn’t too impressed with how it turned out. The streusel topping was too dry, the edges baked too fast, and it didn’t have that spongy and moist texture that good pumpkin bread should have.
Flash forward a couple years and here we are with the best pumpkin bread I’ve ever had! I know I keep saying that but it’s no joke. It’s just perfect in every way.
Not only that, but it’s SO easy to make and the ingredients are very simple. For the batter, you will just need:
- 15 oz can of pure pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling. The only ingredient should be pumpkin.)
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Milk (regular or any dairy free version)
- All purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Salt
First, whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl. These are all in the lower half of the ingredients list starting with the flour.
In a larger bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Mix until smooth then whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
Dump in half of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. If it gets too thick, switch to a rubber spatula. Once that’s almost mixed in, pour in the milk. Any milk will work here. I’ve used whole milk, almond milk, and coconut milk and they’ve all worked the same.
Once smooth, mix in the last half of the dry ingredients until completely combined. If it as a few small lumps, that’s totally fine.
Pour it into a 9×5 bread loaf pan and spread even. Before popping it in the oven, this is where we sprinkle on the streusel topping.
But before we get there, let’s talk about what makes this pumpkin bread so moist. First and foremost, the pumpkin. That’s one of the major changes I made to create a super moist pumpkin bread. Adding a bit more pumpkin enhanced the flavor and texture without leaving it too soft or mushy.
Another change was the sugar. Since pumpkin is pretty bland on it’s own, I added just a little bit more sugar to help balance out the extra pumpkin.
Oil also plays a huge role in the texture of this bread. When I can, I love baking with oil because it keeps cakes moist for such a long time. Since there’s a ton of other flavors going on in this pumpkin bread recipe, it masks the oil flavor. That’s why it isn’t commonly used in vanilla cakes because without extra flavors, it would just taste like an oil cake.
But not to worry! The oil does all the heavy lifting in making this pumpkin bread extra moist while the other ingredients bring in tons of delicious pumpkin bread flavor.
PUMPKIN BREAD WITH STREUSEL TOPPING
We can’t forget about the delicious streusel topping on this pumpkin bread! It’s crunchy, sweet, and sneaks in just a bit more of that warm pumpkin flavor.
Making the streusel is the very first step in this recipe because it needs just a few minutes to chill in the fridge. As I mentioned earlier, the first round of this recipe left me with a dry and crumbly topping. This time around, I added a bit more butter to help soften the texture.
Because of this, the streusel mixture is too wet when first mixed together. Once you’ve mixed together the butter, sugars, flour, and spices, pop the bowl in the fridge while you make the pumpkin bread batter. By the time that’s done, the streusel should be at the perfect consistency.
When it’s fresh from the fridge, there will be varying sizes of large and small clumps. Use a knife or fork to break it up into somewhat uniform pieces (see picture above). This uniformity will allow the bread to rise evenly.
Completely cover the batter in streusel to where you can hardly even see it underneath. I find the best way to do this is by scooping some up in a spoon and then push the streusel off of the spoon and onto the batter with your finger. You have more control this way.
Once baked, it’s time for the maple glaze on top! This is the glue that holds the streusel together so it doesn’t all crumble off. Plus, it’s so easy to make because all you need are two ingredients; powdered sugar and maple syrup.
Make sure to use REAL maple syrup here, not the Aunt Jemima stuff. It’s a thinner consistency so it mixes and pours much easier, getting into every crevice of the streusel topping. Regular maple syrup will also work, but I definitely recommend the real deal stuff for both flavor and consistency.
HOW TO BAKE MOIST PUMPKIN BREAD
It is so satisfying to watch this pumpkin bread rise in the oven. It comes out with a perfect dome top and looks so pretty!
The baking process plays a major role in nailing that moist texture. The old version of this recipe was baked at 350F for about 45 minutes, creating a moist center but edges that were just too over baked.
This new and improved recipe is baked low and slow at 325F for 1 hour and 15 minutes. I’ve baked this pumpkin bread so many times and in a couple different ovens but it’s always perfectly baked right at 1 hour and 15 minutes. Never more. Never less.
HOW DO YO KNOW WHEN PUMPKIN BREAD IS DONE?
Although I would still keep an eye on it. When there’s about 10 minutes left, test the center with a toothpick. Keep baking if it comes out with wet batter. You’ll know it’s done when it’s risen to a dome shape and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
The streusel around the edges should also be a nice golden brown color. The edges will bake faster than the center, so the streusel will look a little lighter in the middle.
THE BEST BAKING PAN FOR PUMPKIN BREAD
For the best results, bake in a light-colored aluminum loaf pan. Not only are they the best for breads and loaves, but it’s also a good rule of thumb for just about any other dessert. This type of aluminum conducts heat very well as it heats up and cools down fast without getting too hot.
If you don’t have this type of loaf pan, I highly recommend cake strips. Dampen with cold water and wrap around the loaf pan before baking. It cools down the edges so that they don’t get too hot or heat too quickly, allowing the entire loaf to bake at the same rate.
HOW TO STORE PUMPKIN BREAD
To store it, there are two main options. You can keep the bread in the pan untouched and wrap it in aluminum foil OR, if it’s already been sliced into, store in an air-tight container.
Either way, keep the bread in the fridge for up to 10 days. When you want a slice, just pop it in the microwave for about 15 seconds and it’s good as new!
Because this is an oil-based cake, it stays moist for all 10 days. Honestly, it won’t even last that long because it’ll be gobbled up by then! But if you have any questions about baking or storing you pumpkin bread, feel free to leave a comment below.
For more fall dessert recipes, check out my:
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
- Pecan Crusted Cinnamon Pie
- Vegan and Gluten Free Apple Crisp
- Maple Snickerdoodles
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram and comment below if you make this Pumpkin Bread recipe. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
Watch how to make this pumpkin bread:
Pumpkin Bread with Maple Glaze
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
Description
Moist pumpkin bread with a crunchy pumpkin spice streusel topping and maple glaze. It’s seriously the BEST pumpkin bread recipe!
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Streusel
- 1/4 cup (55g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin Bread
- 1 15oz can pure pumpkin puree *SEE NOTES
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (100ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (110ml) milk
- 1 3/4 cups (230g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Maple Glaze
- 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup (85g) pure maple syrup
Instructions
Pumpkin Spice Streusel
- In a small bowl, mix together all of the ingredients and place in the fridge while you make the pumpkin bread.
Pumpkin Bread
- Preheat the oven to 325F**SEE NOTES, grease the inside of a 9×5 loaf pan, and line with parchment paper. Make sure the paper comes up and over the two longest sides of the pan so it’s easy to lift out.
- In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt) and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer or a whisk, mix together the sugars, pumpkin, and oil until fully combined. Then mix in the eggs and vanilla.
- Mix in half of the dry ingredients, then the milk, and then the rest of the dry ingredients until you get a smooth batter.
- Pour it into the prepared pan and spread it even.
- Take the streusel out of the fridge and break it up using a knife or fork to create uniform crumps.
- Completely cover the top of the batter in streusel and bake for 1 hr and 20 minutes or until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean. If it needs more time, keep adding 5 minutes until it’s ready.
Maple Glaze
- While the bread bakes, mix together the powdered sugar and maple syrup.
- With the bread fresh from the oven, pour the glaze on top of the hot loaf.
- Let the pumpkin bread cool for about 20 minutes then remove from the pan and slice. Serve warm or store in an air tight container in the fridge. Enjoy!
Notes
PUMPKIN PUREE – Make sure to use pumpkin PUREE and not pumpkin pie filling. I also recommend using Libby’s pumpkin as some other canned pumpkin puree brands are mislabeled and are actually made with a blend of different squashes. So different brands of canned pumpkin can contain different levels of moisture. For consistency, I always use Libby’s (not sponsored).
BAKING TEMPERATURE – First, make sure you are using a 9×5 loaf pan and not a 1 pound loaf pan as there is a slight size difference that can affect how the bread bakes. I’ve also had some readers say that they struggled with the bake and their pumpkin bread turned out underdone. After some investigation, this is likely due to the oven temperature. Some ovens just run cooler than the preheated temperature (whether by fault or by brand), so if you ever feel like you have to add even more time on to your bakes, I suggest baking this bread at 350F instead.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cooling Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Keywords: pumpkin bread, pumpkin bread with maple glaze, moist pumpkin bread recipe
Peg Roth says
Love
This recipe. I am making numerous loaves for neighbors for Thanksgiving with the streusel but not the glaze. Making them early hoping to freeze them. Will the streusel stand up to being frozen?
Jenna says
Yes it should be ok frozen!
Sabi says
I’ve been an avid fan of your pumpkin bread recipe and have been making it consistently. However, I’ve been encountering a persistent issue, and I was hoping to seek your expert guidance to troubleshoot.
Despite my best efforts to follow the recipe precisely, I’ve noticed that the pumpkin bread tends to collapse immediately after being taken out of the oven. Additionally, as I pour the glaze on the bread right after removing it from the oven, it deflates even more. A few minutes later, there is a noticeable gap between the streusel and the bread. I’ve attempted to address this gap by lightly pressing the streusel, hoping it would adhere to the bread.
Here are some details about my baking process:
I allow the bread to cool for 10-20 minutes in the pan before transferring it to a wire rack for complete cooling.
In an attempt to address the collapsing issue, I reduced the amount of milk by 50%, but unfortunately, the problem persists.
I’m baking at sea level, so altitude is not likely a significant factor in the outcome.
All ingredients are measured meticulously using a scale to ensure precision.
I use an oven thermometer to verify the temperature and make sure not to open the oven before the specified baking time.
To avoid underbaking, I’ve extended the baking time as needed, ensuring the toothpick test comes out clean.
The streusel is applied uniformly across the top of the batter before baking.
I’ve experimented with reducing the milk, and even with this adjustment, the collapsing issue remains.
Moreover, I’ve checked the expiration of my ingredients, and everything is up to date. I’ve been using everything at room temperature as well.
I wanted to reach out to you because I value your expertise, and I’m open to any suggestions or modifications to the recipe that might help me achieve a more stable and consistent result. Your insights would be incredibly valuable to me.
Thank you so much for your time and consideration. I appreciate your dedication to creating wonderful recipes, and I’m eager to continue enjoying your pumpkin bread with improved results.
Jenna says
Honestly it could just be your oven as I’ve baked this loaf in three different ovens where only one of them turned out this way (even though the temperature was correct). I suggest just baking at 350F next time and that should do the trick.
Amber says
I made this before and it turned out great. This time it came out of the oven and looked perfect, but the bread sank away from the streusel as it cooled. Any ideas as to why this happened? The toothpick came out clean, so I don’t think it was under baked.
★★★★★
Jenna says
Did you by chance use a different brand of pumpkin? I only ever use Libby’s because different brands can container different levels of moisture.
Naomi says
The BEST pumpkin loaf EVER. Melts in your mouth. Perfection.
★★★★★
Martha says
So delicious 😋. The loaf was eaten in 1 day. The topping made this bread extra special.
★★★★★
Shaina says
I’ve been using this recipe for about 4 years, always a hit, I love it so much! I personally also add molasses to it! Thank you for such a wonderful recipe and the amazing pumpkin bread! I should have left the review sooner!
★★★★★
Jenna says
Yay! Thank you!!
AndreaJane says
This was so delicious! I only have 8×4 inch pans so I divided the recipe into two loaves. It’s a rich, denser bread so I think it worked out well. I checked every five minutes after an hour and think I maybe went up to 70 minutes at 350 for both loaves. Don’t skip the maple glaze! It’s the perfect finishing touch.
★★★★★
Terri says
The best! My oven was 350 for 1 hr…it was a star at our holiday breakfast. Thx so much for sharing 😋
Sylia says
I’ve made this 4 times. My first time it was SO HEAVENLY!!! My second, I fell asleep late at night during bake, so it ended up being in the oven for more than 3 hours. Remarkably, it was still tasty! Just not as moist, obviously. The other two times I’ve shared and both parties said it was the best pumpkin bread they’ve ever had! I don’t change a single thing! Great recipe!!!
★★★★★
Jenna says
Thank you!!
V says
Turned out amazing
★★★★★
Allie Mullings says
I love this bread, this truly is the best pumpkin bread I’ve made!! The flavors are amazing and the bread is super moist. My only issue was… you have to wrap the bread pan tightly with aluminum foil while baking, and my bread wanted to raise higher than my pan, making the top of the bread stick to the aluminum foil, so my crumble lost it’s texture due to this mistake, but the flavor was still there. I’ll know next time! But even if this error, the bread was incredible.
★★★★★
Sandra Powell says
I made these with sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin and on my strudel I added some cooked oatmeal with apples. It was already along with the other ingredients, and the weight of the streusel with the added ingredients caused the strudel to drop down to the center of the muffins. Instead of bread, I made the muffins instead of bread and OMG it’s so delicious..
★★★★★
Stephanie says
This is a great recipe; I have made it many times! For those who might have trouble with the streusel, whisk together the dry ingredients first, without the butter. After melting the butter, let it cool down (before adding to the dry mixture), to the point of not even being warm to the touch.
Susie says
I have used many different recipes for pumpkin bread in my 55 years of baking and must say that this is one of the very best I’ve tried. It’s more like a cake then a bread, mine came out more like a cake then bread, and it was totally delish. I doubled this recipe and had enough batter for 2 full sized loaves and 12 muffins. I substituted about 1 cup of the regular flour for whole wheat pastry flour and had to bake the loaves for an extra 20 minutes to get the knife I used to test for doneness, to come out clean, so yes, you need to experiment with the temp setting as noted in the recipe, just to make sure the bread was done enough after testing, I baked the loaves an additional 5 minutes since the muffins were soo moist, even after the toothpick test. It came out heavenly perfect, moist but done. Every oven is a little different and remember baking is a skill and exercise in judgment. I highly recommend this recipe, it’s a keeper in my collection. <3
★★★★★
Jenna says
Yay! Thank you for sharing!
TCanBake says
So delicious!! Love the moist bread and the streusel with maple glaze is to die for! I added molasses to the glaze and subbed an equal mix of oilve oil and avocado oil for the vegetable oil.
★★★★★