Fall into your autumn mood with this lovely vegan pumpkin bread. Made with freshly grated pumpkin and plenty of pumpkin pie spice, it bakes up moist with a well-formed crumb—perfect with your morning coffee.
This loaf holds together nicely, giving firm, tasty slices you can pick up and enjoy.
Egg-free and dairy-free, it’s simple to prepare and only needs one bowl plus about an hour in the oven.
Many vegan pumpkin bread recipes use canned pumpkin puree, which can be hard to find or expensive in some places. I prefer using freshly grated pumpkin—if grated carrot works for carrot cakes, grated pumpkin works here too. I often buy vacuum-packed peeled pumpkin, so there’s no messy peeling involved. Because this is a quickbread, there’s no yeast or proofing time required.
If you enjoy quickbreads, you might also like similar recipes such as vegan Irish soda bread, herbed tomato bread, jalapeño cornbread, strawberry bread, banana bread, chocolate banana bread, or a traditional barmbrack for autumn.
I particularly recommend the barmbrack—a classic fall and Halloween treat from Ireland.
What to serve with pumpkin bread
This pumpkin bread is delicious on its own, but it’s also great sliced and optionally toasted. Try topping with:
- Vegan Nutella
- Vegan cream cheese
- Cinnamon-flavored vegan cream cheese
- Vegan butter
- Apple butter
For entertaining, a simple vanilla or orange glaze with toasted pecans, pumpkin seeds, or walnuts sprinkled on top makes an attractive presentation.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Like most quickbreads, this vegan pumpkin loaf freezes very well. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in aluminum foil, then add a layer of plastic wrap or place it in a large freezer bag before freezing. It will keep at least five months. I usually slice the loaf before freezing since slices can be crumbly to cut after thawing.
If you prefer to eat it gradually, the bread will keep in the fridge for up to five days when tightly wrapped. You can also freeze individual slices in bags, thaw overnight, and toast them for a quick breakfast.
How to make it (from scratch)
This pumpkin bread is straightforward to make. Below are clear, practical steps so you can follow the method without fuss.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Pour the lemon juice into the plant-based milk and set it aside in a warm spot—this creates a simple vegan “buttermilk.” Soy milk gives a slightly silkier crumb, but any plant milk will work.
Grate peeled pumpkin (vacuum-packed peeled pumpkin from the refrigerated produce section is an easy option). In a large bowl, combine the grated pumpkin with the flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice.
If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, make a substitute: 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
The plant-based milk will look slightly curdled after the lemon juice is added. Stir in the oil (sunflower, canola, or any neutral-flavored oil). Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir until just combined—overmixing can make quickbreads tough. Stop when no dry streaks remain.
Grease a 9 x 4 inch loaf pan with a little oil or dairy-free margarine and pour in the batter. Gently smooth the top with a dampened hand if you like—this is optional and only for appearance.
Bake in the lower third of the oven for about one hour. If your oven runs hot, tent the loaf loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Test for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center—if it comes out clean, the loaf is ready; if wet batter sticks, bake in ten-minute increments until done.
Allow the loaf to cool completely in the pan, covered with a damp cloth to avoid a hard crust that can make slicing difficult. When cool to the touch, loosen the sides with a knife and invert the loaf to remove it from the pan.
Resist slicing while it’s still warm—slices will crumble. The bread often tastes even better the next day.
Store wrapped in aluminum foil in the fridge for up to five days, or freeze as described above.
Did you make this recipe? Share how it turned out with a star rating, review, or a comment. Tag photos on Instagram @the_fiery_vegetarian—I love seeing your baking!
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Pumpkin Bread Recipe
This easy vegan pumpkin bread comes together in one bowl and bakes up in an hour. With a moist yet defined crumb, real grated pumpkin and plenty of pumpkin pie spice, it’s a perfect autumn treat.
10 minutes
1 hour
1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup plant-based milk (240ml)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 9.5 oz peeled pumpkin (270g, yields about 2 cups grated)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (290g)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (180g)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (or substitute below)
- 1/4 cup sunflower or neutral oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Add the lemon juice to the plant-based milk and set aside.
- Grate the peeled pumpkin and combine it with the flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Whisk the oil into the curdled plant milk. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet mixture. Stir until just combined.
- Grease a 9 x 4 inch loaf pan with oil or dairy-free margarine and pour in the batter. Smooth the top if desired.
- Bake for about 1 hour. If needed, tent loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes to prevent overbrowning.
- Check doneness with a skewer inserted into the center; it should come out clean.
- Cool the loaf in the pan, covered with a damp cloth to prevent a hard crust, then remove and slice once completely cool.
Notes
If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use 2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ginger, and 1/4 tsp cloves. Any neutral oil can replace sunflower oil.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16
Serving Size
1 slice
Amount Per Serving
Calories134
Total Fat4g
Saturated Fat1g
Trans Fat0g
Unsaturated Fat3g
Cholesterol1mg
Sodium257mg
Carbohydrates23g
Fiber1g
Sugar9g
Protein2g