This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, read my disclosure policy.
Pumpkin bread with maple glaze is a pumpkin quick bread recipe like no other. The delicious maple glaze on the top of the moist pumpkin bread will have you craving a slice for breakfast, afternoon snacks, and one more time, for an easy dessert! This will become your favorite pumpkin bread recipe!
I know, I know. There are approximately 1 billion recipes for pumpkin bread on the internet. But can you make room for just one more? It has maple glaze…
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love THIS Pumpkin Bread Recipe
When I was a kid, probably around 10, my mom and dad got a holiday gift from someone (I don’t know who). It was homemade pumpkin bread…baked in a jar. It was a tall jar too, not like the normal mason jars you see now. Tall and skinny, it seemed (to my young mind) like it was a foot of pumpkin bread.
And it was baked in a jar. It was magical, obviously. (If only I knew then what I know now. Those people were decades ahead of their time!)
That was the first time I’d ever had pumpkin bread and I still remember eating it. It was one of those food moments you don’t forget. I was thinking about that jar-of-bread the other day and I just had to have pumpkin bread RIGHT NOW. So I made some.
Now, I know there are tons of pumpkin bread recipes out there. Everyone has their favorite. But I really wanted to make my own version. And I have a totally ulterior motive for making this decadent bread: I want to make a healthy version that I can eat after my workouts without guilt. I figured I needed the real thing first…then I could move on to something with less fat, sugar, and refined carbs.
What makes this Pumpkin Bread Different
Obviously I have a slight addiction to maple glaze right now. (And pumpkin!) Ever since I made that peanut butter banana bread with maple glaze I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind. Which meant I needed to make it again, preferably with another bread recipe so I didn’t drink it with a straw. {#glazedrinkersunite}
How to make Pumpkin Bread With Maple Glaze
I started this easy pumpkin bread recipe by adapting this pumpkin muffin recipe for a loaf. And it worked, fabulously. A little too fabulously, if I do say so myself.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5” loaf pan with cooking spray, or grease and “sugar” it with shortening and sugar (like you’d “flour” a pan).
- Stir granulated sugar and brown sugar with oil and pumpkin. Stir in the eggs, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda. Stir until combined.
- Stir in buttermilk and flour. (I used 1 cup each of all-purpose and whole wheat. You can use my combo or 2 cups all-purpose flour.)
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 37-40 minutes. If you want it totally done (no gooey center), test it by inserting a toothpick just partway into the top center of the bread. If this comes out clean, it’s done. Mine took 39 minutes to get to that point. If you like a gooier center, remove it when testing it with at toothpick that way comes out with a little stuck to the top.
- Let the bread cool before glazing.
- Make the glaze: whisk melted butter and powdered sugar. Mixture will be thick and gloppy. Whisk in extracts and 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream. It will smooth out, just keep whisking. Add more cream, up to 1 extra tablespoon, for desired consistency. Spread on bread, let dry before serving.
Easy Quick Bread Tips
- I reduced the amount of sugar to 3/4 of a cup from the muffin recipe because (1) I wanted less sugar and (2) I knew I was glazing the bread. That means that the bread is not overly sweet without the maple glaze, so it’s perfect for those “too sweet” people or when you want something for breakfast that’s not going to cause a sugar rush. Or, it’s the perfect vehicle for glaze!
- I used low-fat buttermilk for the liquid in this recipe. This is a slight change from the muffin recipe because I wanted more rise. My mom’s banana bread uses sour milk (aka buttermilk) and baking soda for leavening. I wanted a similar rise for this bread. (Make your own buttermilk by adding 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar to the milk called for in the recipe.)
- I successfully substituted half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. (That’s 1 cup of each, for a total of 2 cups of flour.) I do this in almost all of my quick bread recipes with success. If you prefer, you can use 2 cups of all-purpose instead, but I don’t suggest using 2 cups of whole wheat flour. I’ve not had success doing that with my recipes.
- Here is a trick for testing for doneness of quick breads: place the toothpick only partially down in the direct center crack of the bread. We’ve all tested for doneness on the edges, or even on the edge of the center and come out with a clean toothpick, only to remove the bread from the oven and have it collapse an hour later. If you test right in that crack, it will tell you if it’s fully done or not depending on if the toothpick comes out clean. (And if you’re like me and love a gooey center, take it out while there are still some crumbs on that toothpick.)
- And then there is the maple glaze. It’s my new favorite thing. You’ll notice my glaze is thick and not runny. That’s because I used heavy whipping cream instead of milk. More fat = thicker glaze. You can use nonfat milk or your favorite, but know that it’ll be runnier than shown in the photos.
I really do think this is one of my favorite quick breads – ever. I really wish it could be pumpkin season forever.
Other Favorite Recipes
Have you made this recipe?
Tag @crazyforcrust on Instagram or hashtag it #crazyforcrust
Pumpkin Bread with Maple Glaze
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (79ml) vegetable oil or coconut oil
- 1 cup (244g) pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ cup (79ml) buttermilk or add 1 tsp vinegar to milk for 1/3 cup (or nondairy milk)
- 2 cups (248g) flour 2 cups all-purpose or 1 cup all-purpose + 1 cup whole wheat
- 3 tablespoons (42g) butter melted
- 1 cup (113g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon maple extract
- 1-2 tablespoons (5-10ml) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5” loaf pan with cooking spray, or grease and “sugar” it with shortening and sugar (like you’d “flour” a pan).
- Stir granulated sugar and brown sugar with oil and pumpkin. Stir in the eggs, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda. Stir until combined.
- Stir in buttermilk and flour. (I used 1 cup each of all-purpose and whole wheat. You can use my combo or 2 cups all-purpose flour.)
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 37-40 minutes. If you want it totally done (no gooey center), test it by inserting a toothpick just partway into the top center of the bread. If this comes out clean, it’s done. Mine took 39 minutes to get to that point. If you like a gooier center, remove it when testing it with at toothpick that way comes out with a little stuck to the top.
- Let the bread cool before glazing.
- Make the glaze: whisk melted butter and powdered sugar. Mixture will be thick and gloppy. Whisk in extracts and 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream. It will smooth out, just keep whisking. Add more cream, up to 1 extra tablespoon, for desired consistency. Spread on bread, let dry before serving.
Recipe Nutrition
Sweets from friends:
Starbucks Pumpkin Pound Cake by Something Swanky
Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Bread by Averie Cooks
Crumbly Pumpkin Bread by Damn Delicious
Yummy! This bread with glaze looks amazing!
Whoa, that glaze. I could eat it by the spoonfuls! Perfect topping for a soft, delicious pumpkin bread!
Right? I almost did that.
I’m a pumpkin bread addict— I cannot just have one piece! So it’s exciting to have a healthier version!
Neither can I! 🙂
I’ve never had pumpkin bread in a jar before! Now I feel like I’m missing out on a cool life experience. But at least we have this recipe, and it rocks. The maple glaze is so thick and amazing!
I know, I want to try making it Mir, but I can’t find those big jars!!
Wow, it looks insanely good and that GLAZE!!! I can see why you want to put it on everything. I do too 🙂 Pinned!
so it’s perfect for those “too sweet” people <— I know exactly what you mean, and I was LOLing at that. But I have NEVER been one of those people, ever. And never will be!
This looks like the best 'healthier' pumpkin bread ever!!
Right? My husband is one of those people. It’s so annoying. 😉 Thanks for the pin!
Mine too! But that just means I get all the glaze. I’m making this later today for sure!
Featured In
Rate This Recipe
Recipe Ratings without Comment