If there’s one thing I bake every fall season, it’s this vegan pumpkin bread.
For one, it’s soft and light, moist and lusciously tender, and packed with warm fall flavor thanks to a homemade pumpkin spice blend.
And two, everyone in my life—Max, my sister, my parents, my friends—asks me to make it as soon as the temperature drops below 60ºF (who am I kidding? we live in San Diego… as soon as it drops below 72ºF).
Cut yourself a slice for an indulgent breakfast, snack on it with your afternoon latte, or add a swoop of cream cheese frosting for a dessert that will catapult you into cozy autumnal bliss.
Tested, Re-tested, and Improved!
A few of you told me your pumpkin bread was staying dense and overly moist at the bottom, so I re-tested this recipe eight(!) times to get to the bottom of it. Pun intended.
It only happened to me when I used a smaller 8.5×4.5″ pan instead of the 9×5″ the recipe calls for. Still, after more tinkering, I realized the batter could use a bit less moisture.
The fix: I removed the oat milk and slightly reduced the pumpkin. As you can see in the photo below, it bakes all the way through with no dense ring at the bottom.
Ingredient notes
- Canned pumpkin puree: Obviously! After making this umpteen times, I can confidently say that we get the best results with Libby’s pumpkin puree. If canned pumpkin isn’t available, check out the FAQ section for fresh pumpkin instructions.
- Homemade pumpkin spice: This easy homemade blend—featuring freshly grated nutmeg for spicy zing and a generous amount of warmly sweet cloves and zingy ginger—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 haven’t had good results with gluten-free flour, though some commenters have given it a try (with mixed results).
- Brown sugar: Necessary for sweetness and structure. Compared to white sugar, it lends more moistness and brings those caramel-like molasses notes we all want in fall baked goods.
- Apple cider vinegar: Assists the baking powder and baking soda with leavening, giving this pumpkin bread great rise.
- Aquafaba: AKA the liquid from a can of chickpeas! Whipping it lightly to incorporate some air gives the pumpkin bread lift and lightness.
Trust me—aquafaba will level up your vegan baking game. 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!
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.
- Whip the aquafaba on medium, rotating the bowl to get the bottom until uniformly foamy.
- Add the whipped aquafaba to the sugar-oil mixture and beat on medium until well combined.
- Add the pumpkin, maple syrup, vinegar, and vanilla.
- Beat until the liquid ingredients are very well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Gently fold just until combined and no flour pockets remain.
- Pour the batter into a parchment paper-lined 9×5″ loaf pan and smooth out the surface.
- Bake at 350ºF/175ºC for 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the parchment paper and cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.
Tips for making this recipe
Opt for conventional over organic canned pumpkin purée
For whatever reason, organic canned pumpkin puree (at least in the U.S.) tends to be more watery than conventional canned pumpkin. 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 highly recommend straining the pumpkin purée over a fine-mesh sieve to remove excess water.
Whichever brand you use, if you measure it out in advance, and find that it has collected some water by the time you’re ready to add it to the liquid ingredients, be sure to strain that water first.
Bake by weight if possible
Baking is a precise science, particularly egg-free, dairy-free baking. You’ll get the most precise results if you weigh ingredients using a digital scale rather than using measuring cups (each brand of measuring cup is slightly different and everyone measures differently). Weighing ingredients is also easier and uses fewer dishes!
Beware of overmixing!
Mixing develops the gluten in the batter, but over mixing leads to overdeveloped gluten. And that gives you 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.
Skip the pre-bottled pumpkin spice
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 2 minutes to throw together but really changes the flavor game.
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 haven’t yet reached the stated temperature when the preheat cycle is over.
- Test for doneness with a thermometer (or toothpick). For the best results, insert an instant-read thermometer in the center of the bread until it reaches 207 to 210ºF (97 to 99ºC).
If you don’t have a thermometer, insert a toothpick into the center of the bread at an angle, not straight down. This angled position better indicates whether a tall loaf cake is baked through. See no crumbs or just 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.
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!
- Vegan cream cheese icing. A 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.
- Maple tahini icing: The tahini brings a unique nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the classic pumpkin spice flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, with modifications. 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).
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.
Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking for 5 to 10 minutes, or until one of the two methods for doneness has been achieved.
If unfrosted, store it covered or wrapped in plastic on the counter for up to 5 days.
If making the cream cheese icing, store the bread covered in the fridge for 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).
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! Please note this is an older video and the recipe has been slightly updated since the release of this video.
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
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp ground cloves (see Note 1)
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (see Note 2)
Liquid ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups (375g) pumpkin puree (ideally NOT organic pumpkin, see Note 3)
- 6 TBSP (84g) sunflower oil, (or any neutral oil)
- 1 tightly packed cup (185g) organic brown sugar (packed but not tightly packed)
- 1/4 cup + 2 TBSP (90g) aquafaba
- 1 TBSP (14g) apple cider vinegar
- 2 TBSP (38g) maple syrup
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Vegan Cream Cheese Icing (optional, but recommended)
- 4 TBSP (56g) vegan butter (1/2 stick), softened at room temp
- 2 oz (56g) vegan cream cheese, softened at room temp (see Note 4)
- 1 cup + 2 TBSP (135g) organic powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 handful pepitas (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan (23×13 cm)* with parchment paper, letting the excess hang over the long sides. *Do not use a smaller loaf pan, or it may not fully bake through.
- Measure out the pumpkin puree in a bowl and set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Whisk well to ensure the leaveners and spices are evenly distributed.
- Mix the sugar and oil: In a large bowl, add the brown sugar and oil. Using a handheld electric mixer, start mixing on low then medium, until the sugar is moistened by the oil and there are no large clumps.
- Whip the aquafaba: Add the aquafaba to a small bowl. Wipe off the beaters. On medium speed, whip the aquafaba for 45 seconds, rotating the bowl as you go to get the bottom, or until uniformly foamy and pale in color. Add the whipped aquafaba to the sugar-oil mixture and beat on medium speed until well incorporated.
- Finish the liquid ingredients: If the pumpkin puree has released any water, strain it in a fine-mesh sieve. Shake the bottle of apple cider vinegar. Add the pumpkin puree, vinegar, maple syrup, and vanilla to the liquid ingredients. Beat on medium speed until completely smooth with no streaks.
- Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold just until combined and no flour pockets remain, then stop mixing. The batter will be quite thick at this point.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 53 to 57 minutes, or until done using one of these methods: Method 1 for checking doneness: Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 207 to 210ºF (97 to 99ºC). Method 2 for checking doneness: Insert a toothpick downwards but at an angle. It should come out clean or with just a touch of slightly moist crumbs.NOTE: If the top is browning but the interior is not baked through / has gooey batter on a toothpick, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking.
- Cool: Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift the bread out using the parchment paper handles. Carefully peel the parchment off the bottom and sides. Cool on the rack for 1 hour.
- Serve plain or spread on the Cream Cheese Icing. Scatter with handful of pepitas. See the FAQ section for storage instructions.
Vegan 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 (but don't overbeat or it gets runny).
- 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 thin, briefly refrigerate.
Video
Notes
- If you are grinding whole cloves, use less as it’s more potent, about a scant 1/2 teaspoon.
- Freshly grated whole nutmeg makes a difference! If using pre-ground nutmeg, use only 1/4 teaspoon.
- 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.
- My favorite vegan cream cheese brands are Violife and Tofutti.
- This recipe was updated in October 2026 to address some user comments that the pumpkin bread was not cooking through. We’ve tested the bread a half dozen more times and as a result, have removed the oat milk and slightly scaled down the pumpkin puree amount.
- This recipe originally contained a Maple Tahini Icing as an alternative to the cream cheese frosting. I’ve removed it from the recipe card to save space, but here’s the recipe if you’d like to make it.
- Sift 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar into a large bowl.
- Add in 2 TBSP (28g) tahini, 3 TBSP (45 mL) oat milk, and 1 tsp maple syrup.
- Whisk to combine until 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).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this? Leave a rating below!
I make muffins with this recipe. 34 minutes in the oven, and they are perfect. They are delicious as is, and decadent with the tahini glaze and pistachios.
Sarah, So glad to hear you loved this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I love this recipe so much! This time around I realized I didn’t have aquafaba, so I substituted apple sauce and it still came out wonderful.
Thanks for sharing, Lily!
I cant find fresh nutmeg at my local store. Any advice?
Hi Jessica, it looks like you can purchase it online here: https://www.amazon.com/Organic-Premium-Harvested-Certified-resealable/dp/B078N4QVMD/ref=asc_df_B078N4QVMD/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312073756717&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7500439352226776479&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061198&hvtargid=pla-570355656191&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=60224371377&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312073756717&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7500439352226776479&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061198&hvtargid=pla-570355656191.
You can also use ground nutmeg if you’d like!
Hi! I was wondering if it would be possible to adapt this to be a bundt cake, and if so, how would you recommend doing that? Thanks!
From Nisha: “Probably, but we haven’t tried it ourselves. An 10-inch bundt pan carries 12 cups, while a 9×5 loaf pan carries 8 cups, so you’d want to scale up the ingredients by 1.5. The bake time should be relatively similar, but consider checking 5-10 minutes early to be sure.”
So I was all excited making my first vegan dessert, poured the batter in the loaf pan look over and there is my can of pumpkin unopened. I said honey how do you feel about spice cake lol! It was still really good. My husband who doesn’t eat vegan food really liked it 🤞🏻I can get him to eat more
LOL! We hope you have better luck next time, Betsy! It’s a pretty big compliment for you to say the bread was good without the pumpkin. Haha thanks for the review!
So I was all excited making my first vegan dessert, poured the batter in the loaf pan look over and there is my can of pumpkin unopened. I said honey how do you feel about spice cake lol! It was still really good. My husband who doesn’t eat vegan food really liked it 🤞🏻I can get him to eat more
This is really good, and since I already have all of the ingredients, easy. (I keep a container of aquafaba in the freezer, and defrost it whenever I need some.) I made this out of self-defense; eat this instead of leftover Halloween candy! I made the maple tahini glaze and sprinkle toasted walnuts on each serving. Hubby said “This is just for us? You’re not giving any of it away? YUM!”
Storing aquafaba in the freezer sounds like a great tip, Sara! So happy to hear you two love the pumpkin bread 🙂
I don’t love pumpkin, but give me a slice of pumpkin bread or a pumpkin cookie and I am in heaven. This pumpkin bread from Nisha is beyond amazing! I converted this recipe to be gluten-free by using Cup4Cup ancient grain flour. I’ve made this several times now and it’s been a hit. I did need to add a lot of baking time, about 1.5 hours total (205* with baking thermometer). I’ve never made her frosting. I’ve topped with vegan buttercream frosting and a favorite nut butter…that was my fave. I’ve also added 1/2-1cup if vegan mini chocolate chips. I definitely recommend this recipe!
Thanks for the thorough review, Kim! Happy to hear you love the pumpkin bread 🙂
I finally made this bread-cake…It is delicious. Mild with no icing. Decadant with tahini icing! Bravo Nisha, Bravo! Thank you. I needed a vegan offering my special guest today, this was perfect. They loved it!
Inez
I finally make this bread-cake… Its deliciouse. Simple, plain and decadant with the tahini icing. Bravo Nisha, Bravo!
I had special guest today, needed a vegan offering. This was a hit!
Inez
Inez, So glad to hear the Pumpkin Bread was a hit!
Super good, great recipe, the homemade pumpkin spice blend creates an aromatic, flavorful touch. Wondering if this could be converted to individual muffins. If so, baking time, etc.?
From Nisha: “I have not tried making these into muffins myself, but with similar quick breads (like banana bread), here’s what I’ve done: fill a standard 12-muffin tin about 3/4 full. Bake at 350°F/176°C for 20-25 minutes (check at 20 minutes). Or bake at 375°F/190°C for 15-22 minutes (check at 13 to 15 minute range).”
Hi Micah, we have not tried making these into muffins, but with similar quick breads (like banana bread), here’s what Nisha’s done: fill a standard 12-muffin tin about 3/4 full. Bake at 350°F/176°C for 20-25 minutes (check at 20 minutes). Or bake at 375°F/190°C for 15-22 minutes (check at 13 to 15 minute range). Good luck!
Thanks so much for this recipe. The balance and quantity of the spices were terrific. I used whole wheat flour and grapeseed oil and added 1/2 cup chopped roasted pecans and 1 small shredded zucchini. It came out perfect! Slices freeze well, too.
Thanks for sharing, Deborah!
Best pumpkin bread I have ever made! The flavors of the spices is so good, making the pumpkin spice at home is really worth it!
Hi Archana, we’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
This exceeded my expectations!! I used to always get the Starbucks pumpkin cake and now I’ve found my new replacement! It’s so flavorful and the texture is wonderful!!
Awesome, Collins. Thanks for your comment and for taking the time to review!
I made this and brought it into work. My coworkers loved it! They really liked the tahini dressing. I’m really happy with the loaf I made!
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Becky!
Super good! Fluffy, moist and tender.
It was my first time baking pumpkin bread today.
I used whole wheat flour (that’s what I had on hand), mixed in dried cranberries and turned these into muffins. Baked for 30 minutes and these are absolutely amazing. Highly recommend baking this recipe!
So great to hear your first attempt at pumpkin bread went well, Eli! Thanks for sharing!
I have been making my grandmothers pumpkin bread for years. It is so delicious and moist. Can i tell you that your version Nisha tastes EXACTLY the same as my family recipe. It is absolute perfection!!
Glad the recipe is up to your high standards, Holly! Thanks for trying it!
Made this today, seriously cannot decide of which topping then cut to taste & the first might not make it.
This is divine
Glad you loved the pumpkin bread, Michaela!
It turned out delicious! Very moist and tastes just fine without any icing. I will definitely be saving the recipe to make again. Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Geri, So glad to hear you loved this recipe!
I made these the other night and they were delicious. They were soft and moist and had the nice pumpkin taste and spice to them. I made these into muffins instead so that I could share them with my friends and it made 16 muffins. I tried making the tahini icing and ate it with a couple of the muffins but I didn’t care for the tahini aftertaste with the muffins so I decided not to add it to the top of the other muffins. Another good option that I want to try next time would be to add vegan chocolate chips instead of a frosting for these cause I feel like they definitely need a little something more than just the muffin by itself. Regardless I shared it without any icing and everyone still loved them.
Hi Kelly, we think you’ll love the vegan cream cheese icing recipe provided in this blog post and hope you get a chance to try it out!