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Pumpkin loaf with cream cheese frosting.

Pumpkin Loaf Cake

This pumpkin loaf cake is perfect for Autumn! It is moist and full of flavor. A chocolate fudge ribbon swirled through the middle of the cake makes it even more decadent. An optional cream cheese frosting takes this amazing cake to a whole new level!
5 from 17 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 2 loaves
Calories: 174kcal
Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

For the Fudge Swirl

  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 5 ounces dark chocolate chopped
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

For the Pumpkin Loaf

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour 360 grams
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice *see notes
  • 1-½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 can 15 ounces pumpkin puree ** see notes
  • 1-½ cups sugar 300 grams
  • cup oil 132 grams
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla

For the Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)

  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 2 tablespoons butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1-½ cups powdered confectioners sugar, sifted

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350° F. Grease two loaf pans (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches each)

Make the Fudge Swirl

  • Place the cream in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until just barely simmering. (or you can heat the cream in the microwave). 
  • Remove from heat and stir in the chopped chocolate until completely melted and smooth. Stir in the cocoa powder. Set aside and let cool while you make the pumpkin cake.

Make the Pumpkin Loaf

  • In a small bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • In a large bowl, stir the pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until well combined. 
  • Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. (Don’t over-mix, some small lumps of flour are fine).
  • Pour 1-½ cups of batter into each of the prepared loaf pans.
  • Dollop 5 to 6 tablespoons of the chocolate mixture on top, then swirl it into the batter.
  • Add the rest of the pumpkin batter to the pans. Top off with 5 to 6 more dollops of the chocolate mixture, then give it a swirl. 
  • Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the bread cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the loaf pans. Remove the bread and let them cool on a wire rack for 1 to 1-½ hours.

Make The Frosting

  • Add the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt to a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until soft and creamy.
  • Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high. Beat until smooth. Spread over the top of the cooled pumpkin loaf cakes.

Notes

  • Make sure you use pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree is just pumpkin, nothing more. Pumpkin pie filling has spices and sugar added to it and will drastically change the outcome of this recipe.
  • This recipe also works well with homemade pumpkin puree. If you are using homemade pumpkin puree, you will need to use 2 cups of pureed pumpkin. Be aware that some homemade versions are more watery than others and may affect the outcome of the bread. If you have a watery pumpkin puree, let it sit in a strainer for a while to drain off some liquid.
  • If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can combine 1 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon cloves. 
  • Optional add-ins: 1 cup of mini chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, or chopped nuts.
  • If you want to use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate for the fudge swirl, decrease the cream to 1/3 cup.
  • Nutrition is based on getting 16 slices from each loaf of bread

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g