Easy Vegan Pumpkin Bread with Pumpkin Spice Icing

Last Updated on November 18, 2023

You will smack your lips on this easy vegan pumpkin bread with pumpkin spice icing. It’s a moist pumpkin loaf that’s easy to make with simple ingredients.

If you’re a fan of vegan recipes with a twist, then this best vegan pumpkin bread recipe is for you.

Bursting with the essence of pumpkin and crafted with passion this delectable bread is a must-have for any food lover.

Join me as we dive into a recipe that combines all the warmth of autumn with the wholesome goodness of plant-based ingredients.

In this article, we’ll not only look at the vegan pumpkin bread recipe but also see the nutritional benefits of the dish.

We’ll also look into tips on how to keep your pumpkin loaf moist, how to store it, and more.

So get ready to bake, savor, and fall in love with the snack/dessert that’s healthy with all the goodness of autumn in it.

Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread Recipe – Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s a dairy free snack or dessert that has all the flavors of autumn.
It’s a highly customizable recipe. Which means you can add more ingredients that fit your taste.
This snack/dessert has the right amount of sweetness that’s not too overpowering.
This bread is highly nutritious as the pumpkin and spices used have health benefits.
The flavors of this bread cater to vegans and non-vegans alike.
Making this into a gluten-free recipe is possible and easy.

Ingredients For Moist Vegan Pumpkin Bread

This sweet loaf of bread is a surprisingly easy-to-make one-bowl recipe. It’s made up of quite a few ingredients but it’s simple and easy to find.

I really love the combination of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger which gives the kitchen a cozy, warm, and sweet aroma as the bread bakes in the oven.

Moreover, I also love the pumpkin puree which really brings out the flavors of autumn in this loaf of bread.

There’s also a sweet icing on top that the bread just soaks up. It brings out the sweetness of the loaf while keeping it moist as well.

We’ve made this recipe really simple and easy for everyone so whether you’re a pro or a beginner this dish is going to be amazing.

Spice Blend:

2 ½ tsp/5g ground cinnamon
1 ½ tsp/3g ground ginger
½ tsp/1g ground nutmeg
½ tsp/1g ground cloves

Loaf:

2 ¼ cups/270g all-purpose flour
4 tsp/17g baking powder
1 cup/205g light brown sugar, packed
1 ½ cup/375g pumpkin puree
½ cup/120ml oat milk or soy milk
1/3 cup/78ml neutral oil
½ tsp/3g salt
3 ½ tsp/7g spice blend (or preferred pumpkin spice mix)

Icing:

1 cup/112g powdered sugar
1 ½ tsp/3g spice blend (or preferred pumpkin spice mix)
1-2 tbsp/15-30ml water or oat milk

How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Bread

Preheat the oven to 350°F/175 C. Grease well or line a 5” x 9”/13cm x 23cm loaf pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves by stirring until evenly distributed. Divide into 2 containers for the loaf and the icing.
In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and 3 ½ tsp/7g spice blend. Stir to distribute evenly.
Combine pumpkin puree, oil, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add the oat milk and whisk. Add the flour blend and stir until smooth and no lumps remain. Be careful not to over mix.
Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-65 minutes. To check doneness use the skewer method. It’s when you pierce the bread with a sharp object such as a toothpick. And when the toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean it’s cooked already. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then move the bread into a rack and cool for another 20 minutes.

For The Icing:

In a mixing cup with a pour spout, combine the powdered sugar and 1 ½ tsp/3g spice blend. Add just enough water or oat milk to reach a pourable consistency.
Pour over partially cool loaf until a thick coat forms. Allow to cool completely before serving. Best the same day. Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Pumpkins in Cooking

It has been around as an ingredient for a very long time. Not only do they make the best pumpkin bread it has a lot of uses as well.

Pumpkin is a type of winter squash that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is commonly found in North and Central America.

It is characterized by smooth, ribbed, yellow to orange skin. It’s a versatile ingredient and is used in a lot of recipes from soups to pies.

This vegetable is related to the melon family as well and like many melons every part of the pumpkin is edible.

Canned Pumpkin Puree Vs Fresh Pumpkin Puree

Firstly pumpkin puree is made by cooking a pumpkin until tender and then blended or mashed to create a smooth pulp.

We’ve always used pumpkin in different ways but we’ve always interchanged fresh pumpkin with the canned variation.

I know I’ve used canned pumpkin multiple times for recipes because it is convenient and available.

But what exactly are the differences and pros and cons of using them? Let’s find out.

🥧 Canned pumpkin puree – This is convenient and easy to use. No additional cooking is needed as the canned variation is already prepped and ready for consumption. It’s also seasoned already as well and has a long shelf life.

🥧 Fresh pumpkin puree – This uses fresh pumpkin and takes additional time to prepare and cook. But it has 0 preservatives, no additional sodium, and is guaranteed to be always fresh and homemade.

In my opinion, you can use both interchangeably. Both have their own ups and downs. I use the canned one when I don’t have time and cutting down the prep time is really convenient.

But on the flip side, having fresh ingredients without the additional additives is always a big plus side. Also taking the extra time to prep the pumpkin also adds the love factor to any dish.

Tips, Variations, And Substitutions

As mentioned this bread is customizable. You can add a few more ingredients to make this suit your taste.

🥧 Pumpkin seeds or almonds – this will add texture to the bread. You can top your pumpkin bread with this by sprinkling it over the loaf once you put the icing on it.

If you’re allergic and want to keep this nut free stick with the pumpkin seeds.

🥧 Vegan Chocolate chips – If you want to be more decadent add chocolate chips to this recipe. This will make it richer and more luxurious.

🥧 Pumpkin pie spice – This is the ready-mix version of our spice blend. If you don’t want the hassle of balancing flavors you can use this as it is already mixed for quick use.

🥧 Vegan butter – If you want to keep this an oil-free pumpkin bread you can use vegan butter to add fat to this recipe. This also keeps the bread moist as well.

🥧 Coconut oil – I know there are a lot of oils out there to choose from. If you don’t know what to pick you can use coconut oil.

This will keep the bread moist it will add a slight hint of coconut taste as well.

🥧 Vegan cream cheese – You can top your pumpkin bread with this. It will add a creamy and tangy element to our recipe.

🥧 Baking soda – Baking powder is used in this recipe. But if it’s not available to you you can use baking soda. Just use 1/4 of the value of the baking powder needed. Since baking soda has salt it is also recommended to cut the salt needed in half as well.

🥧 Applesauce – This can replace the oil when baking this bread. It adds moisture and sweetness without the fat and calories that the oil provides. Choose this if you want a healthier option.

🥧 Whole grain flour – This adds a nutty rich taste to baked goods. If you want to use this you can substitute 10% to 25% of the flour needed.

🥧 Whole wheat flour – This adds texture and gives the baked goodie a darker, deeper brown color. It also gives off a nutty taste as well. And since it has fiber it will help add more healthy benefits to our bread as well.

🥧 Oat flour – Adds a sweet, nutty, and toasty flavor. It has a different density and texture than the all-purpose variant. If you want to use this instead just make sure to add 30% more to what is needed.

🥧 Coconut flour – Adding this will give your bread a dense, buttery texture. It will also give a mild coconut taste. Just remember to keep the bread moist as baking with coconut flour makes the pumpkin bread drier.

Other Vegan Pumpkin Recipes

If you’re looking for another pumpkin recipe that will excite your guests and is really easy to make at home you can try this “roasted pumpkin couscous recipe“.

It’s a Morrocan dish that’s similar to pasta but has the appearance of rice. It’s a versatile side dish that can be paired with anything and is healthy to boot.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN BREAD MOIST?

Drizzling it with icing and letting it soak will keep the pumpkin bread moist. Also adding more wet ingredients like applesauce will also give more moisture.

2. CAN I MAKE THIS INTO A GLUTEN FREE RECIPE?

If you want to make this recipe a gluten free bread then you can use buckwheat, coconut, or oat flour.

3. HOW DO I KNOW THAT THE BREAD IS DONE?

Pierce the center of the loaf with a skewer, fork, tooth pick or a small knife. If it comes out clean then the bread is cooked through.