This warm, spiced pumpkin loaf features a whole can of pumpkin purée, warm fall spices, and a buttery brown sugar crumble on top.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Bread

• No leftover pumpkin. The recipe uses the full 15-oz can, so nothing gets wasted.
• Incredibly moist. Oil instead of butter keeps the crumb soft for days, and it actually tastes better on day two.
• One bowl for wet, one for dry. No mixer needed, just a whisk and a spatula.
• Great for gifting. It slices cleanly, travels well, and freezes beautifully.

Ingredient Notes

• Pumpkin purée: Use plain canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Libby’s is my go-to for its thick, consistent texture.
• Avocado oil: Its neutral flavor lets the pumpkin and spices shine. Any neutral oil works, including canola, vegetable, or light olive oil.
• Brown sugar: Light or dark both work. Dark brown sugar gives a deeper, almost molasses-like flavor that I love with pumpkin.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Store-bought is fine. To make your own, mix 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp allspice, and a pinch of cloves.
• Eggs: Bring them to room temperature if you can. They blend more smoothly into the batter.
• Flour: Spoon and level it, or better yet, weigh it. Too much flour is the fastest way to a dry loaf.

Tips for the Best Pumpkin Bread

• Don’t overmix. Once the flour goes in, fold just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten and gives you a tough, tunneled loaf.
• Use the right pan. This is a generous amount of batter, so use a full 9×5-inch pan, not an 8.5×4.5. A smaller pan can overflow or leave the center underbaked.
• Trust the long bake. 65–75 minutes feels long, but a whole can of pumpkin means a very moist batter. If you have a thermometer, the center should read about 200–205°F.
• Chill the streusel. Cold clumps stay chunky and crisp instead of melting into the batter.
• Be patient with cooling. The crumb keeps setting as it cools. Slice too early and it will seem gummy.

Storage and Freezing

• Room temperature: Wrap tightly or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Fridge: Keeps up to 1 week. Let slices come to room temperature before serving.
• Freezer: Freeze the unglazed loaf, wrapped in plastic and then foil, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the counter, then glaze. You can also freeze individual slices for easy grab-and-go breakfasts.

Pumpkin Streusel Bread

This warm, spiced pumpkin loaf features a whole can of pumpkin purée, warm fall spices, and a buttery brown sugar crumble on top.

PREP TIME 15 minutes mins

COOK TIME 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

TOTAL TIME 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

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Ingredients

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

• 1/2 cup 65g all-purpose flour
• 6 tbsp 80g light or dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 tsp 1.3g ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp 1.5g fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup 57g unsalted butter, melted

Pumpkin Loaf

• 1 can 15 oz / 450g pumpkin purée
• 2 cups 260g all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup 150g avocado oil
• 1 cup 215g brown sugar
• ½ cup 100g granulated sugar
• 2 large 100g eggs
• 1 ½ tsp 6g baking powder
• ¾ tsp 4.5g baking soda
• ¾ tsp 4.5g fine sea salt
• 1 tbsp 8g pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp 2.5g ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Make the Streusel: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until clumped and crumbly. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill while making the batter.
• Prepare Oven & Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy lifting later.
• Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, vegetable oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and completely combined. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
• Add Leaveners & Spices: Sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon directly over the wet mixture. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds to distribute the leaveners evenly throughout the liquid.
• Fold in Flour: Add the all-purpose flour and gently fold with a rubber spatula just until the dry flour disappears. Do not overmix.
• Top & Bake: Pour the batter into your lined 9×5 pan and smooth the top. Scatter the chilled streusel crumble evenly over the batter. Bake at 350°F for 65 to 75 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool & Slice: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Use the parchment paper handles to transfer the loaf to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Course Dessert

Keyword Cake

Variations

• Add mix-ins: Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips, chopped toasted pecans, or walnuts with the dry ingredients.
• Cream cheese swirl: Beat 4 oz softened cream cheese with 2 tbsp sugar and 1 egg yolk. Layer it between two layers of batter before adding the streusel.
• Muffins: Divide the batter among 18–20 lined muffin cups, top with streusel, and bake at 350°F for 20–24 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh pumpkin? Yes, but roast it, purée it, and strain it well. Fresh purée holds much more water than canned, which can make the loaf dense and gummy.

Can I use butter instead of oil? You can swap in the same amount of melted butter. The flavor gets richer, but the loaf will be slightly less moist and firmer after day one.

Why did my bread sink in the middle? It’s usually underbaked. Check the center with a skewer or thermometer, and avoid opening the oven door during the first 45 minutes.

Can I reduce the sugar? You can cut the granulated sugar to 1/4 cup. Sugar also keeps the loaf moist, so reducing it much further changes the texture.