This pumpkin bread is IT. The one. The loaf that makes your kitchen smell like all your fall dreams came true.
It’s insanely moist, tender without being heavy, and loaded with cozy homemade pumpkin spice. Honestly, if you set it out at brunch and didn’t announce it was vegan, nobody would ever know.
No fancy gadgets, no stress. It’s adapted from my fan favorite vegan banana bread recipe, so you know it’s gonna be good.
Serve it straight-up for breakfast with a latte, or take it over the top with maple tahini icing or a swoosh of cream cheese frosting. Just be warned: if you don’t keep an eye on it, this loaf will disappear slice by slice.
A pumpkin bread unlike any other
After myriad rounds of testing, I’ve found that the best vegan pumpkin bread has two key characteristics:
1. A tender and light texture.
Pumpkin purée is naturally thick and heavy, which is why a lot of pumpkin breads lean dense and sad. But this loaf? She’s built different.
In addition to baking powder and baking soda, this pumpkin bread has two secret weapons: aquafaba (aka the foamy liquid from a can of chickpeas) and homemade vegan buttermilk.
- Whipping the aquafaba just a little turns it frothy, giving the batter a lift.
- The buttermilk teams up with baking soda to create extra rise and it tenderizes the gluten for a softer crumb..
The result: a loaf that’s soft, moist, and actually delightful to bite into — not a pumpkin brick.
2. A pumpkin spice blend that actually tastes like pumpkin spice.
A lot of pumpkin breads taste like… sweet orange bread because (a) not enough spice is added, or (b) a tired, store-bought blend is doing the heavy lifting.
This recipe calls for a full tablespoon and a half of a homemade blend that takes about 2 minutes to throw together.
Tip: Spices lose their punch the longer they sit around, especially pre-made blends (it’s impossible to know when each individual spice was grown).
In other words, it’s time to retire that bottle of pumpkin spice that’s been hiding in the back of your cupboard since two Halloween’s ago.
Ingredient Notes
Vegan buttermilk. This is simple a mix of plant-based milk and a source of acid, like apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. I use oat milk for its superior browning capabilities in baking, though some readers have used soy milk successfully.
Aquafaba. Just the liquid from a can of chickpeas! If your can of chickpeas has salt added, scale back on the salt in the recipe a bit.
Canned pumpkin. A whole can for lots of serious pumpkin flavor. If canned pumpkin is not a thing where you leave, check out the FAQ section to see how to make this with whole pumpkin.
Homemade pumpkin spice: Freshly grated nutmeg adds a sweet, spicy zing and a generous amount of cloves brings a uniquely pungent, warming-sweet flavor.
Organic brown sugar: Adds more moisture and caramel-y flavor than cane sugar.
All-purpose flour. Necessary for structure. I have not had good results when using gluten-free flour and would not recommend it, but some comments have given it a try with mixed-results.
Step-by-step instructions
If you’re a novice baker and could use a helping hand, you can bake this recipe alongside me by watching my YouTube video!
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and homemade pumpkin spice.
In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar and oil using a hand mixer until well combined.
Add your lightly whipped aquafaba to the brown sugar mixture. Mix until the aquafaba is well incorporated.
Add in the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vegan buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix again until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Use a silicone spatula to gently fold the ingredients into each other.
Mix just until the flour pockets are gone, then stop mixing. The batter should be somewhat lumpy and thick.
Pour the batter into a lined 9×5” (23×13 cm) loaf pan and smooth out the top with the spatula.
Bake at 350ºF/176ºC for 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using the parchment paper handles, remove the bread from the pan and cool on the wire rack for 30 minutes before slicing.
When ready to serve, drizzle with tahini icing (or serve on the side), or spread with the cream cheese frosting.
Tips for making this recipe
Opt for conventional canned pumpkin puree (not organic), if possible
I noticed a difference in canned pumpkin brands when making this recipe. When I used organic canned pumpkin puree instead of the conventional canned pumpkin from Libby’s, the pumpkin puree was more watery, resulting in a somewhat more liquid-y batter and a soggier bottom bread.
If you only have organic canned pumpkin, be sure to strain the pumpkin puree until all the excess water runs off.
Precision pays off
- Use a digital scale. It yields the most exact results and baking is a science.
If you don’t have a digital scale, measure your flour using the spoon and level method. Spoon your flour out of the bag/jar into the measuring cup, spoon by spoon, until almost full, then use a butter knife to level it off. - Get an oven thermometer and allow adequate time to preheat. Every oven is different, and if yours isn’t calibrated, chances are it’s a bit off. Plus, most home ovens don’t reach the stated temperature when the preheat cycle is over.
- Use a toothpick for doneness. Insert a toothpick in the top sides of the cake at an angle, not straight down. This angled position is a much more reliable indicator of whether a tall loaf cake is baked through. See a few moist crumbs? The bread is done.
If the toothpick reveals batter that is still a bit gooey, return the pan to the oven for 5-10 more minutes. Worried about the top overbrowning? You can loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil.
Beware of overmixing!
Overmixing is one of the most common baking mistakes, and it can cause the gluten to overdevelop, resulting in a cake that is dry and tough, or dense and gummy.
Once the wet and dry ingredients are just incorporated and flour pockets are gone, stop mixing. The batter doesn’t need to be (and shouldn’t be) smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Here’s how:
1. Slice a sugar pumpkin or pie pumpkin in half using a sharp knife and rocking motion (you can also use a kabocha squash). Don’t use the really large carving pumpkins – they are pretty flavorless and don’t have much flesh. If it’s too tough to slice, pop it in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds.
2. Lightly salt the flesh of the pumpkin, then place the pumpkin halves on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, cut side down. Bake in the oven at 400°F/205°C until fork tender, about 30 minutes for a small pie pumpkin, or 40-45 minutes for a larger one.
3. Once the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, the skin should peel off easily. Add the flesh to a food processor and puree for about 2 minutes, or until you have a really smooth puree.
4. Place the puree over a fine mesh sieve and stir with a spoon to let any excess water drain out. If you have cheesecloth, line the sieve with that and drain. This step is essential since homemade puree is more watery than canned.
5. Finally, measure out the appropriate amount of pumpkin puree for this recipe: 425 grams, or about 2 tablespoons shy of 2 cups.
Aquafaba is one of the ways I keep this pumpkin bread light and tender, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting it.
A lot of recipes suggest using flax eggs but in my experience, they work much better in denser baked goods (like my vegan chocolate chip cookies).
If you want to eat this bread for breakfast or as an afternoon teatime snack, you can serve it plain! It’s a little sweet but not too sweet.
If you want something more dessert-like, there are two icing options!
First, the maple tahini icing, which was the original pairing for this recipe. The tahini brings a unique nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the classic pumpkin spice flavors.
Second, the vegan cream cheese icing. This is the more decadent option of the two and my recent favorite. The frosting is a bit tangy from the cream cheese and lemon juice and it perfectly balances the sweetness. When you refrigerate the bread, the icing sticks to it like a traditional frosting and it is SO good.
Whichever frosting you choose, some pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds) sprinkled on top are a fitting topping for a lovely crunch.
I personally think this is better without chocolate chips because it allows the pumpkin flavors to shine and the pumpkin bread is already sweet enough, so I don’t think chocolate chips are necessary.
That said, if you love them, feel free to fold in one half to one cup of chocolate chips when combining dry and wet ingredients.
If unfrosted, store it covered or wrapped in plastic on the counter for up to 5 days. If you make the maple tahini icing, you can leave it at room temperature but it’s best to pour the icing only over the amount of bread you plan to eat that day (to prevent sogginess).
If making the cream cheese icing, store the bread covered in the fridge for at least 5 days.
Watch! How to make this recipe
More delicious pumpkin treats
For more pumpkin treats, check out my Pumpkin Tart or my Pumpkin Pancakes.
And if you love this Vegan Pumpkin Bread recipe, please rate and review the recipe below :)
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
The Best Vegan Pumpkin Bread You’ll Ever Eat
Ingredients
Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
- 1/4 cup + 2 TBSP (90g) aquafaba
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) oat milk, or unsweetened plant-based milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup (75g) sunflower oil, or any neutral-flavored oil
- 1 cup + 2 TBSP (170g) organic brown sugar, loosely packed
- 1 15-ounce (425g) can pumpkin puree (ideally NOT organic pumpkin, see Note 1)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Homemade Pumpkin Spice
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves (see Note 2)
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (see Note 3)
- 1 handful pepitas (optional, for topping)
Frosting option 1: Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 tablespoons (56g) vegan butter, softened at room temp
- 2 ounces (56g) vegan cream cheese, softened at room temp (see Note 4)
- 1 cup + 2 TBSP (135g) organic powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Frosting option 2: Maple Tahini Icing
- 1 cup (120g) organic powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons good-quality tahini
- 3 tablespoons oat milk, or unsweetened plant-based milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Arrange a rack in the middle or bottom third of the oven. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan (23×13 cm) with parchment paper, letting the excess hang over the long sides to form a sling.
- Make the "buttermilk": Stir the vinegar into the milk and set aside for a few minutes.
- Pour the aquafaba into a small bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, whip the aquafaba on medium speed for 45 seconds, or until uniformly foamy.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the brown sugar and oil. Mix using the electric mixer or a whisk until well combined. Add the whipped aquafaba and mix until well incorporated. Add in the “buttermilk,” pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and the ingredients are very well incorporated (this is important so you don't overmix).
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and Homemade Pumpkin Spice. Whisk well to ensure the leaveners and spices are evenly distributed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon until just barely combined and no flour pockets remain, then stop mixing! The batter doesn’t need to be totally smooth—some lumps are normal. It should be quite thick and almost fluffy at this point.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the top sides of the cake comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs.I like to check the bread at 53-55 minute mark. To test if it's done, insert a toothpick downwards at an angle (not just straight down). If the toothpick has batter that is a bit gooey, bake for 5-10 more minutes. If you’re worried about the top browning too much, loosely tent the pan with foil.
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 10-15 minutes. Then, using the parchment paper handles, remove the bread from the pan and cool on the rack for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve plain, or with the Cream Cheese Icing or the Maple Tahini Icing and scatter with handful of pepitas. See Note 5 for storage instructions.
Cream Cheese Icing (optional)
- To a medium mixing bowl, add the softened butter. Beat on low speed with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Add the softened cream cheese and beat until well incorporated and creamy. Add HALF of the powdered sugar, mix on low speed to combine, and then add the rest of the sugar. Mix until well combined and fluffy, scraping down the sides as you go. Add the vanilla, salt, and lemon juice and mix until smooth. If too thick, add a splash of plant-based milk. If too thin, briefly refrigerate.
Maple Tahini Icing (optional, see Note 6)
- Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl (sifting gets rid of the lumps in the sugar). Add in the tahini, milk, and maple syrup. Whisk to combine until the icing is thick but pourable. If too thin, add more sugar. If too thick, add more milk. Pour icing ONLY on the amount of bread you plan to eat (or serve it on the side).
Notes
- Organic canned pumpkin tends to be more watery than regular. If that’s all that is available, strain the puree in a fine-mesh sieve first to get rid of excess water. To make homemade pumpkin puree, read the FAQ section.
- If you are grinding whole cloves, use less as it’s more potent, about 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cloves.
- Freshly grated whole nutmeg makes a difference! If using pre-ground nutmeg, use only 1/4 teaspoon.
- My favorite vegan cream cheese brands are Violife and Tofutti.
- See FAQ for how to store pumpkin bread depending on how you serve it.
- If you are not serving the entire bread now, pour the maple tahini icing only over the amount you plan to eat; otherwise, it will get soggy the next day.
Indeed Indeed! It is the most moist pumpkin bread they’ll ever eat because there will be none left for you!
Nishaaa!!! I owe you royalties with all your recipes. They never fail and you have me out here looking like I can back and people telling me to start a business. Lol! Thanks for all your hard work, dedication, and love with these recipes along the way.
Thank you for your lovely comment, Brittany! It makes us happy to know that you are such a fan of the recipes. :)
Hi there, I’m a huge fan! Your Instapot cookbook changed my life and helped my family thrive as we made the switch to a vegan diet! Also I’m hitting up Big Vegan Flavor cookbook about 4 times a week. Like I said, huge fan! I am looking forward to making this recipe, however I don’t own an electric mixer (and neither does my neighbor :)). Do you think I could mix the cream cheese icing by hand? Or maybe in a Vitamix, or food processor? Thanks!
Hi!
This recipe looks amazing, but i would likke to substitute the oil. What substitutes would work well? What do you think about tahini, how with it change the ratio’s?
Thank you!
Hi Ferre, unfortunately we haven’t tried a substitute, and since baking is very precise (especially egg-free baking), we don’t feel comfortable offering alternatives, as we know they’d significantly change the final texture and flavor.
Hi! I love making this every year, its one of my favorite fall recipes! This year I wanted to try it as muffins. Do you have any recommendations on how long to bake it and at what temp? Thank you!
That’s so sweet to hear, Olivia! I need to make this one again myself very soon.
We haven’t tried making this bread into muffins ourselves at RPL, so no promises! But here is what I’d suggest: Follow the recipe as written to prepare the batter. Preheat your oven to 350F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups with a nonstick spray. Fill each about ¾ full and bake for 20-25 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the muffin, if it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, they’re done. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Best of luck to you!
This is fantastic! I may have underbaked it as it was a bit dense in the bottom but so delicious and tender regardless. I didn’t make an icing but served slices topped with runny tahini, a squiggle of organic date syrup and sprinkled pumpkin seeds on top. Absolutely delicious!!
Ooooh, that sounds amazing, Brenda! Thanks for sharing!
Hello! I have your book and love your flavor pallette and recipes! As I’m not necessarily vegan, I can actually use eggs. How many eggs would you recommend to replace the aquafaba? Can’t wait to make this. Your recipes are fail proof and consistently delicious. Thanks!
Hi Andrew, thanks for your sweet woreds! And as for your question: we’re vegan and don’t cook with eggs, so I’m afraid we cannot advise you about whether they will work in this recipe.
Can I use coconut sugar instead of the organic brown sugar?
Hi, Ysabel! You can substitute coconut sugar, but the outcome will be a little different:
Moisture / Texture: Brown sugar adds moisture because of its molasses content. Coconut sugar is drier, so the bread may turn out slightly less soft and tender and have a slightly crumbly texture.
Flavor: Coconut sugar has a deeper, more caramel-like flavor that’s less molasses-forward than brown sugar. Your bread will still taste good, but it won’t have quite the same warm sweetness that brown sugar gives.
If you want to mimic the moisture brown sugar gives, you could add a teaspoon of molasses along with the coconut sugar. If not, it will still work fine, just a touch less rich.
Enjoy!