Savory

November 11, 2021

Pumpkin bread with maple glaze frosting

The leaves are changing colors in DC, and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve purchased about every autumn candle at Marshalls with fall in its title and I’ve laid out all my dusted off sweatshirts in anticipation of this temperature drop.

The only thing that was left to do is – make pumpkin bread, so I did. One of the things that drives me crazy is when pumpkin bread is too pumpkin-y or too dense, so when I was developing this recipe, I knew I wanted to avoid those things.

What makes this bread different than all the rest you may ask?

Because it has THREE dynamic layers to it.

First, is the moist, rich, and nutty pumpkin bread loaded with warm fall spices.

Second, is a crumbly and sugary streusel topping that gives the bread a satisfying crunch.

Third, is the delicate and sweet maple glaze frosting that gives just a little extra something which pairs extremely well with the spices in the bread. It’s kinda like eating the best part of a cinnamon roll – but even better!

A few tips and suggestions:

  • The spices are crucial. What separates this bread from the rest is its pumpkin and spice combo that creates a really vibrant flavor. Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and all-spice are used and if you need another recipe idea with these spices, check out my apple cinnamon streusel muffins.
  • Walnut oil is my consistent secret ingredient. Especially in this recipe, walnut oil elevates the nutty flavor which pairs well with pumpkin and gives it a light and delicate texture with blissful moisture in every bite. You can use vegetable oil as a substitute if necessary.
  • Do not over-mix. Obvi, baking 101. But what’s the reasoning? Because when combining the wet and dry ingredients, it must be done gently. If you overmix, the gluten strands become over-developed creating a tough and dense texture. No bueno.
  • You must roast the pecans. Otherwise, you’ll get a bland flavor of worthless nuts in your bread. Help the little nuts bring out their natural nutty aroma and crunchy taste! Preheat your oven to 415 degrees Fahrenheit and on a sheet pan, roast whole pecans for 8-10 minutes or until brown and smell, well nutty.
  • Show me how. Here's a demonstration video of me making this recipe!

Equipment you’ll need:

  • 9 X 5 inch loaf pan
  • Kitchen Aid or hand-mixer
  • Aluminum foil

Pumpkin bread with maple glaze frosting

This nutty & spiced pumpkin bread is insanely moist and blissfully fragrant of all autumn scents. What makes this bread better than the others? The brown sugar streusel baked into the top of the bread and drizzled with maple frosting is chef's kiss.

Author:

Lauren Negrete

Prep:

5

min

cook:

45

min

total:

50

min

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bread
  • 204g All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground all spice
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup walnut oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 orange juice, no pulp
  • 1/2 can pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup roasted pecans, chopped
Streusel Topping
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
  • 3 tablespoons, brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Dash of cinnamon
  • Dash of nutmeg
  • Dash of allspice
Maple Glaze Frosting
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • Dash of vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Combine dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl – sifted flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, all spice and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a Kitchen Aid, combine both brown & white sugars, oil and mix on medium speed until combined, about one minute. Slowly add and mix in eggs one at a time. Add in orange juice, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract and mix.
  3. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet one cup at a time. Do not over-mix! Its okay if you see white streaks. Fold in roasted pecans. Pour into loaf pan.
  4. In a small bowl, combine all the streusel ingredients and whisk until little balls of different shapes form. Sprinkle streusel topping on top, but do not press it in.
  5. Place pan in the middle rack of the oven for about 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Loosely cover with foil halfway through baking to prevent the top from burning.
  6. While the bread is baking, whisk all the maple glaze frosting ingredients in a small bowl until combined.
  7. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then flip upside down and allow to cool on a rack for another 10 minutes. Then lightly drizzle maple glaze frosting over the loaf with a spoon. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes:

  • For the frosting – Add more powdered sugar or heavy cream to get your desired consistency. Once drizzled on the bread, if it it’s too warm it’ll start to melt. You can throw it in the freezer for a few minutes, if needed, to harden!
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