Every fall, my house fills with the smell of cinnamon, nutmeg, and warm pumpkin, and I have a confession to make: I don’t actually like pumpkin.
Kevin, on the other hand, is a huge pumpkin fan. The moment the leaves start turning, he’s asking when the first pumpkin bake of the season is happening. So I make it, because I love him and because a good baker bakes for the people they love, even when the main ingredient isn’t their thing.
Here’s the secret, though. This loaf has a cinnamon cream cheese icing that makes up for my pumpkin problem entirely. It’s tangy, creamy, and lightly spiced, and I will happily eat a thick slice of this loaf for the icing alone. Kevin gets his pumpkin, I get my icing, and everyone wins.
Why you’ll love this loaf
It’s easy. Whisk the dry ingredients, mix the wet ones, and bring them together. It comes together in one sitting, with no waiting on butter to soften for the loaf itself.
It’s moist and tender. Canned pumpkin puree and vegetable oil keep the crumb soft for days. Oil gives a more tender, moist loaf than butter.
It’s full of warm spice. Cinnamon, ginger, and a little nutmeg give you the flavor of fall without any one spice taking over.
It’s a great base for the icing. Even a pumpkin skeptic like me will take a second slice.
A few tips for the best loaf
Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, which will throw off the balance. Check that the can says 100% pumpkin.
Don’t overmix. I use my mixer for this recipe, but keep it on low and add the dry ingredients slowly. Stop as soon as everything is just combined. Overmixing can make a loaf dense and tough.
Line your pan. Greasing and lining a 9×5″ loaf pan with parchment makes it easy to lift the loaf out cleanly, especially if you plan to ice it.
Test it the right way. A toothpick in the center should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. The top should also spring back when you lightly touch it. Ovens vary, so start checking at 60 minutes. Mine usually takes between 60 and 65.
Let it cool completely before icing. I know it’s tempting. But icing a warm loaf means a melty, sliding mess. Be patient and you’ll get a thick, creamy layer.
About that icing
The cinnamon cream cheese icing is the whole reason this loaf wins me over. It’s tangy, lightly sweet, and just spiced enough to echo the loaf underneath.
The key is room temperature butter and cream cheese. Take them out of the fridge ahead of time so they beat together smoothly with the mixer and don’t leave lumps. For the cream cheese, I use half a standard store-bought block (4 oz). Beat them until fluffy before adding the icing sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, then spread it evenly over the top.
Pumpkin Spice Loaf with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing
- 1/4 cup butter room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese room temperature (half a block of cream cheese that you buy in the store)
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Pumpkin Loaf
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease and line a 9×5″ loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together pumpkin, oil, sugar, and eggs.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Pour batter into baking pan and bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs and the top springs back when lightly touched.
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing
- Beat together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy
- Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat until combined.
- Spread evenly over top of the cooled loaf
Serving and storing
Slice it thick with a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a quick dessert. Because of the cream cheese icing, keep any leftovers covered in the fridge, and take a slice out a little ahead of time so it’s not too cold.
It also makes a lovely gift. Wrap up a loaf for a neighbor, a friend, or the pumpkin lover in your life.
Give it a try
If you make this pumpkin loaf, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment below and tell me whether you went with the icing (I really hope you did). And if you’re a pumpkin skeptic like me, tell me if the icing won you over too.
Until next time, happy baking.