This healthy whole grain Pumpkin Loaf is made with rolled oats and spelt flour. It is topped with a cream cheese frosting and decadent pepita praline crunch.
This pumpkin loaf is great to enjoy in fall season, but it can also be made any time of year since it uses canned pumpkin, which is available year-round after all. The pumpkin puree makes for a super moist texture and the rolled oats make it chewy at the same time.
This recipe includes many wholesome ingredients. This quick bread recipe absolutely satisfies my dessert needs, but I also had it for breakfast. There is whole wheat flour - I used stone-ground spelt flour, whole-grain rolled oats and maple syrup as the only sweetener.
For the praline crunch topping toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and rolled oats are covered in a crunchy coconut sugar caramel shell. It's like caramel corn without the popcorn. This is seriously the best pumpkin bread recipe - a perfect mix of contrasting textures. Moist, chewy, creamy, and a glorious crunchy topping.
Ingredients
- Whole spelt flour - or regular whole wheat flour
- Baking powder
- Pumpkin pie spice - store-bought or use my homemade recipe for pumpkin spice mix using cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs
- Coconut oil - melted
- Rolled Oats
- Pumpkin puree
Ingredients for the topping:
- Cream cheese - softened
- Maple Syrup
- Rolled Oats
- Pumpkin seeds
- Coconut sugar
See recipe box for details.
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.
- Combine maple syrup, vanilla, eggs, and melted coconut oil.
- Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients, fold in oats and pumpkin puree.
- Pour into a loaf pan, bake until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
- Beat cream cheese and maple syrup, spread on loaf.
- Roast oats and pumpkin seeds. Melt coconut sugar, stir in seeds.
- Cool, break into bits, sprinkle over frosting.
Storage
Because of the cream cheese, the loaf should be stored refrigerated. Place it in an airtight container to keep from drying out. In the fridge it will keep for 5-7 days. Unfrosted the pumpkin loaf can also be stored in the freezer (tightly wrapped) for at least 6 months.
Random Question
Pumpkin bread might not be moist due to overbaking, incorrect measurements, or insufficient fat. Ensure accurate ingredient measurements, use proper baking time and temperature, and include enough moistening ingredients like pumpkin puree, oil, or eggs to achieve the desired texture.
Yes, canned pumpkin puree is essentially the same as pumpkin puree. Both refer to cooked, pureed pumpkin, commonly used in recipes. However, check the label to ensure it's 100% pure pumpkin flavor without added sugars or spices (not pumpkin pie filling).
This easy pumpkin bread recipe consists of flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, sweeteners (such as sugar or maple syrup), eggs, oil or butter, and pumpkin puree. Optional ingredients like oats, nuts, or cream cheese frosting can enhance texture and flavor.
Pumpkin bread might remain raw in the middle if the oven temperature is too low, if the bread pan is too deep, or if the bread is underbaked. If the top of the loaf is browning too fast while the center is still jiggly, you can tent it with aluminum foil while finishing to bake it.
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Recipe
Pumpkin Loaf with Pepita Praline Crunch
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour I used spelt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
Topping
- ¼ cup cream cheese softened and beaten
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons rolled oats
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a loaf pan with parchment.
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt.
- In another bowl combine maple syrup, vanilla, eggs, and melted coconut oil.
- Add the wet to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add the rolled oats and pumpkin puree and fold in.
- Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the loaf cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. Remove parchment paper and let cool fully.
Topping
- Beat together cream cheese and maple syrup until smooth. Spread over cooled loaf.
- In a skillet dry roast the rolled oats and pumpkin seeds over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Set aside. Turn heat to low and melt the coconut sugar, while stirring, until pale and creamy. Add the toasted seeds and stir to combine.
- Spread on a piece of parchment. Once fully cooled break into small bits and sprinkle over cream cheese frosting.
- Because of the cream cheese, the loaf should be stored refrigerated. Place it in an airtight container to keep from drying out. Refrigerated it will keep for 5-7 days. Unfrosted the pumpkin loaf can also be stored frozen (tightly wrapped) for at least 6 months.
Nutrition
Pin Pumpkin Loaf with Pepita Praline Crunch for later?
Karla
This looks delicious! Any idea how I could use sourdough discard in this recipe? Thanks!
Regina | Leelalicious
Sourdough discard is usually 50% water and 50% flour. Say you want to use 50g of discard (1/4cup). Convert the measurements to metric (there is a button) and reduce the flour amount by 25g (100-25=75g) and the liquid amount by 25g as well; in this recipe most of the liquid is in the pumpkin puree (240-25=215g). If you want to use more discard, say 100g, reduce 50g from each measurement (50g flour and 190g pumpkin puree). Hope this helps.
RT
Can I use almond flour instead of spelt? How would I change the recipe then?
Regina
I have not tried a substitution in this recipes, but almond flour can often be substituted 1 for 1 with wheat flour. But you may need more of a binding agent. Maybe an extra egg?
Miya
Looks delicious! If I don't have ground spelt, do you suggest whole wheat or white whole wheat flour?
Regina
I think either will work just fine for this recipe
Sara @ Life's Little Sweets
Oh my, this looks incredible! I am all over this! Glad to see I am not the only one sticking oatmeal in bread!
Regina
Isn't that chewy oat texture just the best??
Justine
Looks awesome! It's never to early to mess around with pumpkin 🙂
Regina
Thank you Justine! I agree, pumpkin is awesome year-round!