Glazed Pumpkin Banana Bread
Glazed Pumpkin Banana Bread is for anyone who loves pumpkin spice! Super moist and tender, this easy recipe is full of sweet, cake-like goodness and warm fall spices. Drizzle with an easy vanilla glaze for an impressive finish.
Glazed Pumpkin Banana Bread with a cup of coffee or hot tea is the perfect way to warm up as the weather turns cooler! If you’re already a fan of homemade pumpkin bread, this recipe has similar flavors, plus a hint of banana and a sugary icing drizzle. Even better, you only need about 15 minutes to prep it!
With its good looks and delicious taste, this recipe is guaranteed to impress. Whether for brunch or dessert, consider making it to share at your fall and holiday gatherings!
This is a great recipe! I love that it’s banana bread, but a fall version. It’s moist and delicious. And my house smelled so good while it was baking. Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper!
— Katie
Everything to love about this recipe
- Fluffy and delicious. This moist banana bread is so soft and delicious to bite into, especially while it’s warm. And the banana and pumpkin flavor combo is perfect!
- Easy recipe. All you have to do in this simple recipe is mix a handful of pantry ingredients and bake it all together into two loaves.
- Customizable. We have several ideas (below) for changing this recipe to suit your preference. Feel free to add nuts, chocolate chips or even make this bread into muffins.
- Kid-friendly. This is one of those recipes that adults and kids love! It makes a great breakfast option right before school or as an after school snack. Perfect for dessert too!
Ingredients needed
This pumpkin banana bread recipe consists primarily of pantry staples, so other than the pumpkin puree, you probably have everything you need to make this! Here’s the lineup:
- All-purpose flour. The base of this bread. For best results, use all-purpose flour, as opposed to whole wheat or other varieties.
- Baking powder & baking soda. These are leaveners that react differently to liquid and acid ingredients. A mixture of the two helps this bread bake properly.
- Salt. One teaspoon salt complements the sweetness and really brings out the pumpkin flavor.
- Spices. Ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg offer warm, aromatic flavor.
- Sugar. A mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar are used for the perfect amount of sweetness and wonderful texture.
- Oil. Adds moisture and amazing texture. Use 2/3 cup vegetable oil, or sub with melted coconut oil, canola oil, avocado oil, light olive oil or even melted butter.
- Eggs. You’ll need 3 eggs to bind everything together, plus add fluffiness and structure to the bread.
- Pumpkin puree. A key ingredient for real pumpkin flavor! Make sure to use 100% pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which has added spices and sugar.
- Banana. Use ripe bananas with brown to black spots for the most flavor and extra sweetness.
- Add-ins. Feel free to add up to 1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts, if you’d like. You could even add a cup of chocolate chips!
- Glaze. Optional, but highly recommended. This vanilla glaze is a simple blend of confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), milk and vanilla.
Recipe tip
You can substitute the spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, & nutmeg) for 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice.
How to make this recipe
Making this quick bread is super easy! This pumpkin banana bread recipe, which makes two loaves (hello, gifting), is a simple mix of wet ingredients in one bowl and dry ingredients in another, combine the two and pour into two loaf pans. You’re all set – no mixer required! Here’s the simple process:
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Then, prepare two loaf pans (9×5-inch or 8×4-inch) with cooking spray. Lay a strip of parchment paper down the center that is long enough to hang out over the sides, to help with removal; set aside.
- Dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder and spices).
- Wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mix (or beat) sugars, oil and eggs. Add pumpkin and mashed banana to the large bowl and mix well.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Gradually, stir the dry ingredients into the wet. There will be a few lumps. Do NOT over mix. Gently fold in nuts (or other add-ins), if using.
- Bake. Divide batter between the two pans and bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean from the center.
- Cool. Let bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Then, use parchment paper flaps to lift bread out of pan and let it cool completely on the wire cooling rack.
- Drizzle glaze and serve. Once bread is completely cool, make the glaze and drizzle it over the top of the bread. Slice and enjoy!
Baking tip
You may need to loosely cover bread with aluminum foil halfway through baking to avoid the top from getting too brown.
Expert tips
This recipe is very straightforward, but here are some tips, so your loaves of bread are absolutely amazing!
- Follow the recipe. For best results, we recommend following the recipe and using the exact ingredients listed.
- Separate bowls. For the best texture, be sure to mix the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls. Don’t skip this step by mixing everything together in one bowl.
- Don’t over mix ingredients. Once you’ve combined wet and dry ingredients, it’s very important to avoid over-mixing the batter. This can make your quick bread gummy and dense.
- Bake time. Be sure not to underbake or overbake the bread. Every oven can vary in temperature, so test the center of the bread EARLY with a toothpick. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, then it’s ready, if not place it back in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Loaf pan. If you are using a smaller 8×4″ loaf pan, your loaf will be a bit thicker and therefore the bread will probably need to cook a bit longer (probably 5-10 minutes more).
Frequently asked questions
With baked goods that include mashed banana, applesauce and pumpkin puree, the goal is to incorporate as much fruit as the batter can handle. Too much will throw off the ratio of wet to dry ingredients. This means you may not have enough flour to absorb that moisture, leading to a gummy bottom on your quick breads. This recipe has enough flour to fruit ratio to be absolutely perfect!
Quick bread splitting on top is very common. This happens when the crust forms before the middle of the bread is done expanding.
Even though this bread has healthy ingredients, like bananas and pumpkin, it should be consumed in moderation. This is a sweet bread that contains a good amount of sugar and oil, so we wouldn’t consider it health food. You can find all nutrition facts in the recipe card. Here’s a healthier pumpkin banana bread that you could try!
Variations
We LOVE this pumpkin bread as is, but if you’d like to change it up or add a bit of extra pizzaz, here are some ideas.
- No glaze. We love the vanilla glaze on this bread and for real decadence, I highly suggest it, but you can definitely leave it off, if you’d prefer your bread not be so sweet.
- Nuts. If you love nuts in your quick bread, add about 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts to the bread batter.
- Dried fruit. Stir 1/2 to 1 cup dried cranberries, dried tart cherries, raisins, or chopped dates into the batter. You could even add about 1/2 cup chopped nuts and 1/2 cup dried cranberries!
- Muffins. Follow the recipe, adding instead to a muffin tin and cooking for 18-25 minutes. I haven’t actually made muffins using this recipe, but I think it would make around 24 muffins.
- Chocolate. If you’re craving chocolate, fold about 1 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter, and sprinkle more over the top too. If adding chocolate, you’ll probably want to omit the glaze.
- Pumpkin seeds. Instead of the glaze, use the same topping as my classic pumpkin bread recipe, which is so delicious, by the way. It’s a topping of tubinado sugar and pepitas (pumpkin seeds). Use about 4 tablespoons of each to top the loaves before baking.
Storage recommendations
Wrap any leftover pumpkin banana bread in plastic wrap and store on the counter for 3-4 days or in the fridge for about 1 week. Any longer than that and you can freeze it by following the instructions below.
Freezing tips
Like most quick bread recipes, this pumpkin banana bread freezes beautifully. We often freeze the second loaf to enjoy later. To freeze, let the bread cool completely. There are two ways to freeze the bread. Bread will keep well in the freezer for up to three months.
- You can slice the loaf and then wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap. Place the individually wrapped slices into a large freezer-safe ziplock bag, remove any air, and store in the freezer.
- Or you can wrap the whole loaf of bread tightly with aluminum foil. Then, place in a freezer-safe ziplock bag and store it in the freezer.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
More pumpkin recipes
If you’re a pumpkin fan like me, enjoy these other favs!
If you try this easy recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Glazed Pumpkin Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2/3 cups vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 cup mashed ripe banana, from 3-4 medium bananas
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Vanilla glaze (optional)
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted (sift after measuring)
- 2-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional: pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two loaf pans (8×4" or 9×5") with nonstick cooking spray. Lay a strip of parchment paper lengthwise down the loaf pan, to help with easy bread removal. Get out and measure all of the ingredients.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder and spices together.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, stir (or beat) sugars, oil, and eggs until well combined. Add pumpkin and banana; stir well. Gradually, stir in flour mixture. Do NOT over-mix. Gently fold in nuts, if using.
- Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. You may need to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent the top from getting too brown.
- Let bread cool in pans for about 20 minutes. Lift parchment paper flaps to bread to remove from pans. Let loaves cool completely on a wire cooling rack, before drizzling with optional vanilla glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature.
For the glaze:
- Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, and vanilla extract together. Add another tablespoon of milk or heavy cream to thin out if necessary. For thicker icing, add a little more confectioners’ sugar. Taste, then add a pinch of salt if desired.
Notes
Freezing: Baked bread can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
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This is a great recipe! I love that it’s banana bread, but a fall version. It’s moist and delicious. And my house smelled so good while it was baking. Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper!
Thanks so much for your comment! Super happy to hear that you enjoyed!