Easy Pumpkin Spice Bread with a Cake Mix
If you love baking with pumpkin then this easy Pumpkin Spice Bread with a cake mix is going to be a new fall favorite. The moist and delicious cake is simple to make and can be served for breakfast or dessert. The perfect recipe for the fall season.
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What is Pumpkin Bread?
This easy pumpkin bread recipe that is flavored with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. The pumpkin used is canned puree or made from whole pumpkins cooked down.
It has mild pumpkin spice flavors but is amazingly delicious. It is also wonderful because it is easy to make. This recipe is awesome because the base is a cake mix, so it keeps the ingredients to a minimum with maximum flavor. You will also love this Pumpkin Muffins recipe.
Ingredients Needed
- Yellow Cake Mix: The perfect base ingredient for this amazing quick bread.
- Brown Sugar: Added to give the pumpkin bread an extra special sweetness.
- Cinnamon: There is cinnamon in pumpkin pie spice but adding a bit more never hurts.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find the recipe to make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice or purchase it at your grocery store.
- Pumpkin Puree: Gives the bread amazing pumpkin flavor. Not to be mistaken for pumpkin pie filling which already has sugar and spices in it and would not work.
- Vegetable Oil: To give the quick bread a nice moist texture.
- Eggs: To help bind the pumpkin bread together.
- Sour Cream: An optional ingredient that I think adds a nice tang to the bread.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Add-In Ideas
A slice of the best pumpkin bread is one of fall’s best indulgences. To make it even more amazing you could add ingredients to the batter or even use a combination. One half cup should be enough to fill the bread with extra tastiness.
- Chocolate Chips- Mini or regular sized chocolate chips are the perfect addition.
- Nuts- Pecans, walnuts or even pistachios would all be wonderful options.
- Dried Fruit- Raisins are an obvious option but cranberries would be delicious.
- Coconut- Shredded coconut would give the pumpkin bread a wonderful flavor and texture.
- Seeds- Pumpkin seeds, pepitas or even sunflower seeds would all be a great add in or topping.
How to make Pumpkin Bread with a Cake Mix
1.Whisk the dry ingredients {box of cake mix, brown sugar, pumpkin spice and cinnamon} together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl combine the wet ingredients {can of pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, water, eggs and sour cream} and whisk together. Add it to the dry ingredients.
2. Mix using an electric mixer {or by hand} until you have a thick batter
3. Pour the pumpkin mixture into two loaf pans {8.5×5 inch} that have been lined with parchment paper and sprayed with nonstick bread.
4. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs {and not wet batter}. Place the bread on a cooling rack to cool for 15-20 minutes before removing from the prepared loaf pan.
Expert Tips
- Line the loaf pans with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. This will ensure that the bread comes out easily.
- Whisk the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients. This step helps all of the ingredients to incorporate perfectly into the cake mix pumpkin bread.
- Do not over bake the bread. A moist bread is exactly what you want and so over baking it can dry it out. Don’t wait until the toothpick is clean.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pans for 15 minutes before removing from them. If you try to do this step too soon it can fall apart.
Storage and Freezing
Store- The best way to store this Cake Mix Pumpkin Bread is to put it into a zipper bag or wrap it well in plastic wrap. It can be kept at room temperature for a couple of days but will keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
Freeze- This Pumpkin Bread will freeze wonderfully. Make sure it is completely cooled and then wrap it well before freezing. The loaves will freeze great for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, whenever a recipe calls for a cake mix different cake mix flavors can easily be substituted. A white cake mix may be used without any difference in flavor.
A chocolate cake mix or box spice cake mix {adjusting the spices in the recipe} are both great cake mix recipe options. Gluten-free cake mix can also be used with good results.
To tell if the cake mix pumpkin bread is done, place a toothpick in the center of the bread. If the toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs and not raw batter, it is ready.
No, you can not substitute pumpkin pie filling for pumpkin purée. The reason is because pumpkin pie filling is filled with spices and sugar. It is ready to be added to a pie shell and not to bake into a recipe that includes those ingredients.
A homemade pumpkin puree can be used if you have a good recipe. Just be sure that the fresh pumpkin is cooked down and not full of a lot of water.
Do you love pumpkin recipes? Try these…
Did you try this recipe?Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @practicallyhomemade on Pinterest!
Pumpkin Bread with a Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- ½ cup brown sugar {packed}
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup water
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°. Line two loaf pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl combine the yellow cake mix, brown sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until all of the ingredients are mixed. Add the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, water, eggs and sour cream to the dry ingredients and mix using a hand held mixer {or by hand} until you have a nice and smooth batter.
- Pour the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans and bake for 55-65 minutes, being sure to not over bake the loaves. The key is to have a toothpick inserted in the center come out with only a few crumbs {but not any raw batter} and not clean. If you wait until the toothpick is clean the loaves will be over baked.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pans for 15-20 minutes. Remove the pumpkin loaves using the excess parchment paper and allow them to cool completely or serve warm. Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Do not over bake the bread. A moist bread is exactly what you want and so over baking it can dry it out. Don’t wait until the toothpick is clean.
- Chocolate Chips- Mini or regular sized chocolate chips are the perfect addition.
- Nuts- Pecans, walnuts or even pistachios would all be wonderful options.
- Dried Fruit- Raisins are an obvious option but cranberries would be delicious.
- Coconut- Shredded coconut would give the pumpkin bread a wonderful flavor and texture.
- Seeds- Pumpkin seeds, pepitas or even sunflower seeds would all be a great add in or topping.
What size loaf pans do you recommend? These sound easy & tasty.
It is super easy and delicious. I use the standard 8.5×4.5 size loaf pan. Enjoy!