This vegan pumpkin bread recipe isn’t just for plant-based eaters. It happens to be egg- and dairy-free, but there’s a good chance no one will notice it’s vegan! Each slice is moist and fluffy, with the same richly spiced pumpkin flavor you know and love from your local coffee shop treats.
As the days become shorter and the air turns crisp, we find ourselves drawn to the irresistible charm of pumpkin spice desserts. Our vegan pumpkin bread captures the season in every bite with the subtle sweetness of pumpkin and the warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg.
We love quick bread recipes like this because they use ingredients most of us already have in the pantry. These easy breads don’t require baking experience to pull off, either. If you’re wondering what is quick bread?, it’s simple: They’re breads that use leavening agents like baking soda and baking powder instead of yeast, so there’s no kneading—and no need to wait around for hours while the bread rises.
Vegan Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
- Canned pumpkin: Although we love making ingredients from scratch, we actually prefer using canned pumpkin for this recipe. When shopping, choose pure pumpkin puree, as pumpkin pie mixes contain added sugar, spices, salt and other preservatives. Homemade pumpkin puree will work in a pinch, but water content varies among fresh pumpkins, and this can affect the consistency of your pumpkin bread.
- All-purpose flour: Flour holds this quick bread together, creating the structure that prevents the loaf from falling apart.
- Canola oil: Pumpkin puree and a neutral cooking oil—like canola oil—are some of the common egg substitutes for baking. You could swap in applesauce to make this an oil-free pumpkin bread, but the bread will turn out less fluffy and have a denser feel.
- Baking soda and baking powder: These leavening ingredients help quick breads rise as it bakes. If you don’t have one or the other, our guide to baking substitutes can help.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: These warming spices capture the essence of autumn in recipes like vegan pumpkin bread. For even more punch, swap them out for our homemade pumpkin pie spice, which also includes ground cloves and ginger.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grab two large bowls: one for dry ingredients and another for wet. In the first bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder. In the other, whisk together the pumpkin, oil, water and vanilla.
Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, and stir just until moistened. The mixture won’t be smooth—there will be some clumps—but it should be free of large flour pockets.
Step 2: Bake the pumpkin bread
Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans, and line them each with parchment paper to prevent the bread from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
Step 3: Cool and slice the bread
Allow the bread to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to wire racks. If the bread wrinkles and sinks in the middle, don’t worry; that’s just the nature of quick bread. Cool the loaves completely on the rack, then slice.
Editor’s Tip: Letting the bread cool completely allows the bread to firm up. This prevents the slices from falling apart and becoming crumbly when you cut into the loaf. This is just one of our many secrets for successful quick bread.
Recipe Variations
- Make it gluten-free: Although we haven’t tested it, you could experiment using gluten-free flour blends to make a gluten-free vegan pumpkin bread.
- Add mix-ins: Fold flavorful ingredients into the batter, such as chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts or grated coconut. To create visual appeal, sprinkle the bread with pepitas, sesame seeds, oats or chocolate before it bakes—or sprinkle raw sugar onto the loaf just before baking to give the exterior a caramelized look.
- Bake mini loaves: Miniaturize these loaves using a mini loaf pan, or make a rustic, round loaf in a cast-iron skillet. Follow our baking pan conversions guide for help.
- Make cake pops: This bread is so moist, our Test Kitchen suggests using it to make cake pops. Learning how to make cake pops is easy: Simply crumble one of the cooled loaves into a bowl, and add your favorite prepared frosting. Shape the mixture into balls, and freeze for two hours. Then, decorate the pops with a candy coating.
How to Store Vegan Pumpkin Bread
The first rule to storing vegan pumpkin bread—or any baked goods, for that matter—is ensuring it’s cooled completely. Even the slightest warmth can create condensation once the loaf is covered, making the bread dense or soggy. For best results, cool the loaves on a wire rack to prevent the bread from getting moist on the bottom. Once completely cooled, cover the bread, and store on the counter for two to three days, or up to one week in the fridge.
How to Freeze Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Quick breads also freeze well. Wrap the cooled loaf in aluminum foil, and store it in a freezer-safe bag. The bread should last up to three months in the freezer.
Vegan Pumpkin Bread Tips
How do you serve vegan pumpkin bread?
Vegan pumpkin bread is delicious when served plain for breakfast or as a snack. To transform it into dessert, try dressing it up with confectioners’ sugar glaze or a homemade frosting made with dairy-free margarine.
Why does my pumpkin bread taste bland?
Vegan pumpkin bread gets its depth of flavor from sugar and warming spices (a perfect bread for our favorite holiday spices from The Spice House!). To give the bread a deeper caramel flavor, try substituting brown sugar for white sugar. You can also infuse extra flavor with additions like dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds and walnuts. If you have a sweet tooth, stir in dairy-free chocolate chips.
How do you keep pumpkin bread moist?
To keep your pumpkin bread moist, be careful to not overmix the wet and dry ingredients together. Mixing too much can over-develop the gluten in the flour, leaving you with a loaf that’s dry, tough, dense or gummy.
How do you tell when pumpkin bread is done?
The easiest way to tell when pumpkin bread is done is the toothpick test: Press a toothpick into the center of the loaf to see if the batter is still gooey. This test can be a bit tricky with sticky ingredients like pumpkin puree, so you can also check the internal temperature with a thermometer. The bread is finished when the temperature is between 200° and 205°.
