This easy vegan pumpkin bread is soft and moist and can be made in just one bowl. This loaf is perfectly spiced and makes the best accompaniment to your morning cup of coffee. Whether you’re looking for a vegan and dairy free recipe or just one that tastes amazing, you’ll love this pumpkin bread!
Just like my best ever vegan banana bread recipe, this pumpkin bread is easily made vegan without compromising on taste and texture. Honestly unless you tell people, no one will know that this bread doesn’t contain eggs or dairy.
It’s super soft and moist which is exactly what we want from a pumpkin bread, but it still maintains so much sweet, spiced flavour that it is perfect served on its own without any frosting. But of course if you wanted to, feel free to top with a little vegan cream cheese icing.
This dairy free pumpkin bread can be served for breakfast or morning tea and just like this easy vegan gingerbread loaf, is characterised by the combination of warming spices that is then paired with the sweet pumpkin.
If you’re looking for more sweet pumpkin recipes, try my vegan pumpkin snickerdoodles next!
The secret to the BEST pumpkin bread
I wanted to include a couple of notes that I discovered when recipe testing. I found the key to making this pumpkin bread the best it could be came down to two things, using white sugar and oil.
When I first tested this recipe, the results were less than I had hoped. I assumed that brown sugar would work best flavour-wise with the pumpkin and spices but I found it overwhelmed things and I didn’t like the result. White sugar on the other hand produced a lighter coloured loaf that really allowed the flavours of the pumpkin and pumpkin spice to shine through.
The other thing was that my initial loaf was very dry. With a long baking time the loaf was just drying out so I needed to increase the amount of oil which worked perfectly to allow the pumpkin bread to stay moist. I also recommend allowing the bread to cool slowly in the pan as well as this will create steam in the pan resulting in a softer bread.
Key Ingredients
This recipe is so easy to throw together and the smell that will move through your house as it bakes is just divine! Plus to make this vegan pumpkin bread you really only need basic ingredients you’d expect when baking – nothing fancy or speciality here.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Pumpkin puree – not only is this the key flavour, but the pumpkin also adds essential structure acting as an egg replacer. I am using my homemade pumpkin puree but you can also use canned pumpkin in this recipe.
- Canola oil – ensures the pumpkin bread is moist and creates a soft, spongy texture. You can use any flavourless vegetable oil here.
- White sugar – not only adding sweetness, the white sugar plays an essential role in locking in moisture and creating the ideal texture of the pumpkin bread.
- Vanilla extract – adds flavour.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US.
- Pumpkin pie spice – I am using my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend which is a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. You can use a store bought blend or just substitute with all cinnamon.
- Baking powder – gives the cake lift as it bakes to ensure the bread is light and fluffy rather than dense.
- Bicarbonate of soda – also known as baking soda in the US.
🤓 Unsure of the difference between a quick bread and a loaf cake? Read my breakdown in my apple and cinnamon bread post.
Step-By-Step Instructions
To make this pumpkin bread you will need a 8 x 4 inch loaf pan or a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. If you have the latter size (which is more common) your bread may not look as tall as mine and your cooking time may be on the lower side. Line your baking pan with baking paper and a light spray of cooking oil being sure to leave a slight overhang to make removal easy.
You can make this bread in two bowls combining the dry ingredients together first, but I usually just add it all into the same bowl making it much easier and creating less dirty dishes as I find it’s a fairly forgiving recipe and one perfect for beginner bakers.
Start by whisking together the pumpkin puree, canola oil, white sugar and vanilla extract. Then add in all of the dry ingredients and whisk until a thick batter forms.
Once the batter forms, stop whisking as overmixing can cause your bread to sink in the middle and become dense and gummy.
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and then I like to make a shallow line in the centre of the batter with a knife as this helps control the rise and prevents the bread from cracking unevenly as it bakes.
I also couldn’t help myself and sprinkled a little extra white sugar over the top before putting it in the oven just for a bit of sparkle and crunch!
Bake for 60-70 minutes depending on your oven and the size of your loaf pan. You want a skewer when inserted into the centre to come out clean. Let the pumpkin bread cool in the pan to lock in extra moisture before serving or storing.
Storage and freezing instructions
This vegan pumpkin bread will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, and a little longer in the fridge.
For longer storage, wrap the bread (either whole or in slices) tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it at room temperature before serving.
Personally I like to store this in slices to make easy grab and go snacks when I need a little morning sweet treat with my tea. You can also warm up slices of the pumpkin bread in the microwave for a few seconds or lightly toast on a sandwich press and serve with a little dairy free butter.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can pour the batter into a muffin tin instead of a loaf tin. Bake at the same temperature for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Yes! Substitute the plain flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Be sure to choose a blend that includes xanthan gum for the best texture.
Yes! You can fold in about ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans, vegan chocolate chips, chopped dark chocolate, or dried fruit after mixing the batter.
More loaf cake recipes:
Vegan Lemon and Raspberry Loaf Cake
Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Vegan Choc Ripple Cake
Pistachio Cardamom and Lemon Loaf Cake
Coffee and Walnut Loaf Cake
Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree canned or homemade
- ⅔ cup canola oil
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups plain flour
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F and line a 8×4 inch baking tin with baking paper and a light spray of cooking oil.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, canola oil, white sugar and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- To the bowl, add in the plain flour first, followed by the pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Whisk together until a thick batter forms.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and use a knife to make a shallow line down the centre for an even rise.
- Bake for 60–70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminium foil. Oven times may vary, so start checking for doneness at 60 minutes and adjust accordingly.
- Allow the pumpkin bread to cool in the pan for about an hour before slicing and enjoying while still warm!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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