This vegan pumpkin bread is The Fall Aesthetic™ baked up in a loaf pan. It’s low-fuss to whip up (no fancy gadgets required!) and as it bakes, it perfumes your home with eau de autumn, a richly-spiced warmth courtesy of the homemade pumpkin spice.
It’s soft and light, moist and lusciously tender, never soggy or dense like many pumpkin bricks—ahem, breads.
Cut yourself a slice for an indulgent breakfast, snack on it with your afternoon latte, or hit it with a maple tahini drizzle or swoop of cream cheese frosting for a dessert that will catapult you into cozy autumnal bliss (… and that no one will guess is vegan!).
Pssst! This recipe is adapted from my vegan banana bread…so you know it’s a winner 😉
Watch me make this recipe ⤵️
Check out the YouTube video to see how easily this one comes together!
With 200K views, this recipe was a huge hit with my audience. I hope you love it just as much!
Avoiding the main pitfalls of pumpkin bread
After many rounds of testing, I’m pleased to present a recipe that sidesteps the two major perilous pitfalls of pumpkin bread:
Pitfall 1: Dense, soggy texture
Solution: Pumpkin purée is thick by nature, which often translates into a heavy, sodden loaf—but not this one, thanks to vegan buttermilk for a soft, tender crumb, and whipped aquafaba (read more in the Ingredient notes), a secret weapon that provides extra rise!
Pitfall 2: “Pumpkin spice” that tastes flat
Solution: Ground spices lose their punch the longer they sit around, and pre-made “pumpkin spice” blends add extra variability (it’s impossible to know when each individual spice was grown), leaving you with underwhelming pumpkin flavor.
This recipe uses a homemade blend of spices that takes two minutes to throw together but really changes the flavor game.
Ingredient notes
- Vegan buttermilk: This is simply 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: AKA the liquid from a can of chickpeas! By whipping it slightly to incorporate some air, it gives this loaf lift and lightness.
Trust me—aquafaba will level up your vegan baking game in a major way. It’s my go-to egg substitute for so many baked goods, including my best ever vegan brownies, incredible vegan lemon cake, fluffy gingerbread cake, and lemon olive oil cake!
- Canned pumpkin: This recipe calls for a whole can for serious pumpkin flavor (AND you don’t have to figure out what to do with a weird amount of leftover canned pumpkin!). If canned pumpkin isn’t available where you live, check out the FAQ section to see how to make this with fresh pumpkin.
- Homemade pumpkin spice: This easy homemade blend—featuring freshly grated nutmeg for spicy zing and a generous amount of warmly sweet cloves—elevates this pumpkin bread to a league all its own. SO much better than pre-bought pumpkin spice blends.
- All-purpose flour: Necessary for structure. Unfortunately, I have not had good results with gluten-free flour and would not recommend it, though some commenters have given it a try (with mixed results).
Step-by-step instructions
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 over organic canned pumpkin purée
If you live in the U.S.: For whatever reason, organic canned pumpkin puree is more watery than conventional canned pumpkin from Libby’s. In my recipe tests, the organic canned pumpkin yielded a more liquidy batter and a loaf with a soggier bottom.
If you only have organic canned pumpkin, I recommend straining the pumpkin purée over a fine-mesh sieve to remove excess water.
Baking Precision Tips
Baking is a science, so here are tips to help you nail this pumpkin bread!
- Use a digital scale to measure your ingredients. It yields the most exact results! If you don’t have a digital scale, measure your flour using the spoon and level method: Fluff the flour with a spoon, then spoon the flour into the measuring cup, spoon by spoon, until mounded and overflowing on top, then use a butter knife to level it off.
- Get an oven thermometer. Every oven is different, and if yours isn’t calibrated, chances are it’s a bit off. Most home ovens don’t reach the stated temperature when the preheat cycle is over.
- Test for doneness with a toothpick. Insert a toothpick into the bread 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 to 10 more minutes. Worried about the top browning before it cooks through on the inside? Loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil.
Beware of overmixing!
Mixing develops the gluten in the batter, and overmixing = overdeveloped gluten = a cake that is dry and tough, or dense and gummy.
Less is more here—once the wet and dry ingredients are just incorporated and there are no flour pockets remaining, stop mixing. The batter shouldn’t be perfectly smooth (just like in my Pumpkin Pancakes!).
Make for breakfast, a snack, or dessert!
If you want to eat this pumpkin bread for breakfast or as an afternoon teatime snack, you can serve it plain.
If you want something more dessert-like, there are two icing options!
- Maple tahini icing: The tahini brings a unique nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the classic pumpkin spice flavors.
- Vegan cream cheese icing. A more decadent option reminiscent of cake. 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.
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 the pumpkin in the microwave for 1 minute, then try again.
2. Lightly salt the flesh of the pumpkin, then place the pumpkin halves on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, cut side down.
3. 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.
4. Once cool enough to handle, peel the skin and add the flesh to a food processor. Puree for about 2 minutes, or until you have a really smooth puree.
5. Place the puree over a fine-mesh sieve and press down with a spoon to drain excess water. If you have cheesecloth, line the sieve with that and drain. This step is essential since homemade puree is more watery than canned.
6. Finally, measure 425 grams of pumpkin puree for this recipe (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).
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.
That said, if you love them, feel free to fold in 1/2 to 1 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.
If you love this Vegan Pumpkin Bread recipe, please rate and review the recipe below 🙂
Introducing
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).
Video
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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this? Leave a rating below!
Question, is there a substitute for the Aquafaba?
TIA!
Hi Ingrid, we have only tested this with flax eggs as an alternative, and while it works fine, the bread is heavier and denser. We like using aquafaba since vegan loaf cakes and pumpkin bread in particular is very dense, and the aquafaba, when lightly whipped, brings a lighter, fluffier texture.
Amazing! I’ve made this twice now and it’s memorable for sure. Last year I made it with the cream cheese icing and it was delicious. This year I made the maple tahini icing. Both were good. The cream cheese one was better but I didn’t have the ingredients for it at home so I made the other one. Still delicious just a little different from an icing I’m used to. So moist and just the perfect bread. This is how I want my zucchini and banana bread to taste.
Thanks for the review, Brooke! It makes us happy to know you love the recipe.
This looks wonderful and I’m really excited to make it, but can you tell me what I can substitute for the oil and for the brown sugar?
Hi Melyna, unfortunately we can’t recommend substitutes for the oil and sugar because they play a huge role in the flavor and texture of the pumpkin bread. Sorry!
This tasted good but the center was very wet. Maybe I used the wrong pumpkin purée? Can you please link to ones that you recommend.
Hi there, we’re sorry to hear about that! We don’t think the brand of pumpkin puree would have been the reason your bread didn’t cook.
There are several issues that could have caused the pumpkin bread to not rise or cook through:
First, do you have an oven thermometer? Most home ovens are not that accurate (unless they’ve been calibrated). It’s possible your oven is a bit cooler than stated, which would explain why it took longer than expected.
Second, it’s important when baking to not open the oven door (except when close to the end to check on doneness). Opening the oven door even for 10 seconds can dramatically drop the temperature of the oven. You want to particularly avoid this in the earlier part of baking, as i will interfere with the ability of cakes/quick breads/muffins to rise.
Third, it’s possible that your baking powder and/or baking soda are no longer fresh. These agents are responsible for baked goods rising, so if either is past its prime, it will contribute to the pumpkin bread not rising and instead staying uncooked in the middle.
Finally, it’s important to be gentle when folding the wet and dry ingredients together. Overmixing and trying to get a super smooth batter leads to excessive gluten development in the flour, resulting in a denser and more sunken texture.
Hopefully this helps!
😍😍
So goooood. I opted to not put any frosting on and it’s still delicious without it! Going to have to preorder that cookbook now…
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Meeshka! We hope you’re loving Big Vegan Flavor!
This is the best and more delicious moist pumpkin bread I have ever done. Thank you!
Hi Teresa, thank you so much for your kind review!
Dear Nisha & Team,
The pumpkin bread is delicious. Perfectly moist and holds together beautifully. But the sweetness is overwhelming. Is it possible to use a lot less sugar? If yes, how much would you suggest to use next time I make it (because there will definitely be a next time, it’s really good)!
Cheers 🙂
Hi there, so happy you enjoyed the pumpkin bread! Did you make it with one of the frostings or icings? If yes, I would simply omit that as a first step. You can probably omit the 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar without changing the texture too much. Hope that helps!
Found the answer in another comment, sorry. I made the cake without icing and already used one cup of sugar. I know that sugar contributes to the texture etc., so I will try 1/2 cup of sugar next time.
Deliciously moist, excellent spice balance. I have to disclose that I am not vegan, so I take a few liberties using non-vegan options that I have on hand when I don’t feel it will significantly change the taste or texture. In this case I used cow’s milk instead or plant-based. Otherwise, the recipe was executed as written. So good!
We’re happy to hear you had success with the pumpkin bread, Marilyn! Thanks for sharing!
I always absolutely love RPL recipes but this one did not work for me. I made it the first time using organic pumpkin and it did not turn out. Completely my fault as the recipe suggests against using organic pumpkin. So I made it again with non organic pumpkin but it turned out almost the same as the first time. I followed the recipe exactly even weighing my ingredients. I cooked it for a couple minutes longer than suggested but even still the bottom will not cook / rise. Flavor is good but texture is really off. Don’t know what I’m doing wrong, disappointed.
Hi Mckayla, we’re sorry to hear about that! There are several issues that could have caused the pumpkin bread to not rise or cook through.
First, do you have an oven thermometer? Most home ovens are not that accurate (unless they’ve been calibrated). It’s possible your oven is a bit cooler than stated, which would explain why it took longer than expected.
Second, it’s important when baking to not open the oven door (except when close to the end to check on doneness). Opening the oven door even for 10 seconds can dramatically drop the temperature of the oven. You want to particularly avoid this in the earlier part of baking, as i will interfere with the ability of cakes/quick breads/muffins to rise.
Third, it’s possible that your baking powder and/or baking soda are no longer fresh. These agents are responsible for baked goods rising, so if either is past its prime, it will contribute to the pumpkin bread not rising and instead staying uncooked in the middle.
Finally, it’s important to be gentle when folding the wet and dry ingredients together. Overmixing and trying to get a super smooth batter leads to excessive gluten development in the flour, resulting in a denser and more sunken texture.
We hope this answer helps you troubleshoot!
I rarely leave ratings on recipes, but I had to say this turned out spectacular! Really satisfied the pumpkin craving, and the tip to make your own pumpkin spice was absolutely essential. So moist, fluffy and bright, will be making this again!
Hi Shelle, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! I just made this again myself, and it truly is such a wonderful recipe!
Thank you for the recipe!
I have used it many times already and always a great success.
Today I’ve baked in form of muffins.
As the pumkin was quite sweet- I halved the amount of sugar, and still they are delicious.
Thank you soooo much for everything you do, dear Nisha🙏
We appreciate your feedback and support, Eve. Thank you for leaving a review!
Hi Nisha,
I really wanted to make this cake on my gluten-free diet, despite the suggestion not to use anything else but all-purpose flour. So I proceeded with some substitutions: Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, homemade honeynut squash puree, 130 g of light brown sugar, and olive oil. Even though the outcome is less fluffy than in your photos, I think the flavor is delightful and the bread rose nicely, although it did collapse a tad after a night’s rest on the counter.
Thank you for creating this recipe (and tons of others!)
Karolina
Hi Karolina, we’re glad you enjoyed your GF rendition of this pumpkin bread along with the other recipes that you’ve tried 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experience!
Hi Nisha! Can we play with the amount of sugar and decrease it a little bit? We don’t use much sugar on our house with the kids and would like to make this as a treat but use less sugar.
We are at excited to try your October recipes!
Hi Shama, I would first omit the icing / frosting instead of omitting it from the actual pumpkin bread. That way, you don’t interfere with the baking texture (sugar not only adds sweetness in baking but also contributes to texture and moisture levels). If you still want to reduce the sugar in the bread itself, I’d reduce it by no more than ¼ cup.
Enjoy the recipes! 🙂
This is hands down the best vegan pumpkin bread recipe I’ve tried. I feed it to my non-vegan friends and family and it always gets rave reviews.
Hi Kelly, thank you so much for your kind review!
Love this recipe! Trying the tahini-maple frosting this time.
That’s great to hear, Dawn! And ahh, that frosting is amazing. Enjoy!
Hi! Will be making this next week! When you suggest not using organic pumpkin purée, do you mean use regular non organic pumpkin purée in a can? Thanks!
Hi Radmila, yes that’s exactly what we mean! Enjoy the pumpkin bread 🙂
Looking forward to make this but before I do (do not usually bake) is it light or dark brown sugar?
Hi Chelsea, either or will work, but Nisha typically uses organic light brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will add more of a molasses-like flavor and produce a darker bread.
This recipe was fabulous and nobody knew it was Vegan! Do you happen to have a Vegan Zucchini bread recipe? I have tried several recipes I found elsewhere and they are all very dense and gummy. Your use of Aquafaba and vegan buttermilk seems unique and seems to be the key.
Hi there! We’re thrilled you loved the pumpkin bread. Thanks for sharing 🙂
We unfortunately don’t have a zucchini bread recipe (yet), but we’d agree that the combo of aquafaba and vegan buttermilk is a godsend for vegan loaf cakes like pumpkin bread and zucchini bread. If you love zucchini, we recommend our Greek Zucchini Fritters. We also love the recipes from the First Mess, and she recently posted zucchini baked oatmeal cups with chocolate chips that look delicious.
Thank you for this recipe! I have made it several times. I have doubled it and made 12 muffins (16 minutes) and 1 loaf without the icing. Comes out perfect every time-even at 5280 ft! My kids love having the muffins for breakfast. I have also successfully frozen the loaf and simply thawed it in the fridge when ready to use. Delicious!
You’re welcome, Jessica! We’re so happy you enjoy the pumpkin bread!
Dear Nisha,
I absolutely adore all of your recipes. Whenever I observe lent or other fasts, such as before Christmas, I always turn to your amazing website and recipes. Recently, I attempted to bake this recipe twice, but encountered some difficulties. The first time, the entire dish came out gummy and dense. After carefully reading your notes, I realized that the issue was due to over-mixing. I tried again and achieved a much better result. However, this time, the bottom of the dish came out gummy and dense. Do you have any insight into what might have caused this issue?
Thank you in advance for any guidance you can offer.
Hi Phoebe, sorry to hear you’ve been having so many issues getting this pumpkin bread right! We’re glad to hear you were able to make a better pumpkin bread the second time around by not over-mixing.
In regard to the pumpkin bread still turning out gummy and dense, here are a few things you can check or change for next time: use an oven thermometer (often our ovens are hotter or cooler than they say) which can help with over and under baking, don’t open the oven during baking which lets out heat (you can view the cake with the oven light through the door), and make sure to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale (one of our top baking tips!) because baking is much more of an exact science than cooking is.
I hope you’re able to figure out what went wrong!