Pumpkin Bread (Better Than Starbucks!)

Sweet, gently spiced moist pumpkin bread is just as delicious as the infamous Starbucks pumpkin bread! A slice of this rich and delicious pumpkin loaf is perfect with a cup of coffee or a mug of hot chocolate, and is wonderful for breakfast or a snack.

 

Why We Love Pumpkin Bread

• Fall Flavors– Once summer ends a slice of moist, gooey and gently spiced pumpkin bread is the perfect way to bring some fall flavor to your kitchen during pumpkin season.
• Same Great Taste As The Original – My friend is the biggest pumpkin fan you can imagine. She said that this copycat Starbucks pumpkin bread recipe almost tops the slice of pumpkin bread you get from Starbucks. This loaf is warm from the oven and has all the same delicious flavor and moist texture she loves.
• Delicious And Less Expensive– This treat keeps on giving with its simple ingredients. With ten thick slices for about the same price you would pay for two to three slices of pumpkin bread at Starbucks. If multiple people in your family want a thick slice, treating the whole family can add up fast for your favorite pumpkin bread!

Ingredients For Pumpkin Bread

• unsalted butter softened
• granulated sugar – white sugar
• brown sugar
• eggs
• pumpkin puree blotted with a paper towel to remove excess liquid, canned is ok but you want pumpkin puree and not a pumpkin pie filling (which can already be spiced and sweetened.)
• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• baking powder
• pumpkin pie spice can also use a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. See more details in the recipe card
• salt

How To Make Pumpkin Bread

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper or baking spray. Butter or spray cooking oil can also be used, but loaf may stick more easily to the pan.
2. Place softened butter in a large mixing bowl. Whip butter with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar to the butter. Mix with an electric mixer until butter and sugar are creamed together, about 1-2 minutes.

3. Add eggs to the butter mixture. Blot the pumpkin with paper towels to remove moisture (see notes) then add the pumpkin to the butter mixture. Mix until the wet ingredients are fully combined.

4. In a medium bowl mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder pumpkin pie spice and salt. See notes if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice.

5. Add half of the dry ingredients mixture to the pumpkin mixture then mix well until blended. Add the second half of the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix well until combined.

6. Pour batter for the pumpkin bread into the prepared loaf pan.

7. Bake for 45-50 minutes or use the toothpick test and make sure a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top will also no longer be wet in the middle.

8. Let the loaf cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Remove carefully from pan and allow the loaf to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

Variation Ideas

Add Pumpkin Seeds– The original Starbucks pumpkin loaf does have green pumpkin seeds on top, also known as pepitas. Adding two to three tablespoons of pumpkin seeds before baking will give you that little bit of extra crunch.

I do buy green pumpkin seeds often at places like Sprouts for with my yogurt, but you can also find pepitas on amazon. I recommend using raw, not roasted, pepitas.

Add Nuts– Nuts in the batter or on top of the pumpkin bread can be really delicious! Try walnuts or pecans for a delicious crunch. I made a praline pecan topping for this pumpkin snack cake and the flavor combo of pumpkin with pecans is so good!

Make Into Muffins – You can make this pumpkin bread into muffins. I haven’t done it do I am not sure the exact bake time., usually anywhere from 10-14 minutes for most muffins.

Or you could make my quick two-ingredient pumpkin muffins. If you make this pumpkin bread into muffins let me know how it goes! Or try this version of Starbucks Pumpkin Muffins that has the cream cheese in the middle.

Pair this pumpkin bread with a cozy drink like this Copycat Starbucks Hot Chocolate Recipe or a warm pumpkin spice latte.

How Do You Store Pumpkin Bread?

Pumpkin bread will last for three to four days when stored in an airtight container. I recommend storing in the refrigerator for the best freshness as pumpkin can be gooey and the added moisture can cause pumpkin bread to sometimes spoil faster.

You can also wrap individual pieces or the entire loaf in plastic wrap to help preserve the freshness of pumpkin bread.

Can You Freeze Pumpkin Bread?

Yes, pumpkin bread freezes very well in individual slices or as a whole loaf.

In fact. I believe Starbucks pumpkin loaf is frozen and then defrosted for transport before it reaches customers to help preserve its fresh flavor. Starbucks does not bake pumpkin loaf fresh in store, but the pumpkin bread still tastes delicious. (Kind of a good thing they freeze it to keep it fresh tasting, yes?)