Full of spiced pumpkin flavor, this gluten free pumpkin bread is the perfect fall recipe.
Using a homemade pumpkin spice mixture, we achieve a stunning flavor. It is everything you want in your seasonal pumpkin bread. Not to mention it is completely gluten free!
I also decided to add a cream cheese frosting to further enhance this dessert. While I personally think the frosting elevates the bread to the extreme, it is not required. The loaf is completely delicious on its own too.
Pumpkin desserts paired with cream cheese frosting have always been a family favorite for us. I decided to make this recipe with our favorite flavors in mind. The homemade pumpkin spice mixture has a perfect blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. I go heavy on the cinnamon in this recipe due to my absolute love for the spice.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Ingredients
This recipe is relatively simple. Of course you need pumpkin puree and the spices. The rest of the ingredients are pretty standard as they are in any recipe. These include eggs, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, salt, gluten free all purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter.
Pumpkin bread wet ingredients explained.
Pumpkin puree: This is kind of obvious. But, there is more to it! You just need the canned pumpkin you find in the grocery store. These cans typically say “canned pumpkin”, “pumpkin pure”, or simple, “pumpkin”. You want the only ingredients to be pumpkin. These typically come in 15 oz cans, so for simplicity, I made this recipe call for exactly 15 oz of pumpkin.
Vanilla: While vanilla is always essential, it really helps deepen the flavor in this recipe particularly. It heavily compliments the different spices used.
Eggs: There are only two eggs in this recipe. When you see the amount of batter made, you may be surprised that we only need two!
Butter: I was debating on whether to use oil or butter in this pumpkin bread recipe. After some testing, I decided butter was the way to go. There is half a cup in this recipe, which is one standard stick.
Pumpkin bread dry ingredients explained.
Gluten free all purpose flour: There are two cups of flour in this recipe. Make sure you measure using the spoon and level method. This will ensure you do not accidentally have too much flour. For this particular recipe I used Cup4Cup Gluten Free Multipurpose Flour. Another great option is the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Baking Flour.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: I decided to use a careful combination of both baking powder and baking soda here.
Spice Mixture: I decided to make a pumpkin spice mixture from scratch using cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
Granulated Sugar: There are two types of sugar in this recipe, but granulated sugar is used in the larger quantity.
Brown Sugar: With just a bit of brown sugar added here, we add to the deep flavor of the spicy pumpkin bread.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Step by Step
Step 1
Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and whisk until combined. This includes flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spice mixture (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves). Set this aside.
Step 2
In a larger mixing bowl, combine the butter, vanilla, and both sugars and whisk until slightly more fluffy.
Step 3
Add in the eggs and whisk some more.
Step 4
Add in your pumpkin and stir until combined.
Step 5
Add the dry mixture, one half at a time and mix until combined.
Step 6
Pour batter into your buttered pans and place in the oven, baking for 65-70 minutes.
Cream cheese frosting for gluten free pumpkin bread
Cream cheese frosting may be the most complimentary topping for any pumpkin dessert. While it is optional here, I totally recommend. It elevates this bread to a new level and makes it that much more indulgent. My cream cheese frosting uses the same amount of cream cheese as butter, so that tangy cream cheese flavor really shines. This is necessary to pair well with the notes of pumpkin spice.
To make the cream cheese frosting
This frosting could not be more simple. We do not need to beat it until the perfect texture is formed, nor do we have to worry about the color. I think a pumpkin loaf looks great with a roughly applied dollop of frosting. A homemade look to this bread really sells the coziness that pumpkin bread is meant to create.
Step 1
Whip the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth.
Step 2
Slowly add in the powdered sugar and salt, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix until you have a silky, cohesive frosting.
I love to dollop the icing right on top and swirl it around with a spoon.
How much gluten free pumpkin bread does this recipe make?
This recipe makes two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans of bread. I prefer to use one loaf pan and either use a square cake pan or a cupcake pan for the rest of the batter. I love the different desserts you can get with just one simple recipe.
If you are leaving some bread free of icing then I would definitely recommend eating it while it is still warm!
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Perfect Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can pumpkin
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour I used Cup4Cup for this recipe
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cloves
- ½ tsp allspice
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter
- ½ cup softened cream cheese
- 3 cups powdered suagr
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Butter two loaf pans or one loaf pan and one muffin pan. Since this batter makes a lot, you can have one classic loaf and use whatever shape pan for the rest of it.
- Combine the dry ingredients into one bowl and whisk together. Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spice mixture. Set this aside.
- In a larger bowl, add very soft butter and sugar. Stir on medium for 2 minutes. If whisking, then stir until the butter appears lighter in color.
- Add in eggs and vanilla. Once completely combined, stir another minute to get a bit more air into the batter.
- Now, you can stir in the pumpkin.
- When the pumpkin is fully incorporated, add half of the dry mixture.
- Mix, scrape down the sides, and add in the rest of the dry mixture.
- Once this is all together, you are ready to put into your pans.
- Smooth the top and place your pans in the oven. Bake for 65-70 minutes. The loaf will clearly have risen and will become sightly brown.
- If you buttered your pan, the bread should pop out easily and you can cool on a wire rack.
- You can enjoy the bread plain or add my delicious cream cheese frosting.
For the cream cheese frosting
- Whip up the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla for a few minutes until combined and silky.
- Add in the powdered sugar and salt little by little until you have perfect cream cheese frosting.
- Spoon onto the loaf and swirl around.
- Slice and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you thought by leaving a review and comment!
More gluten free fall recipes here!
