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A copycat for Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe!
The easiest pumpkin bread with 12 ingredients! This bread can be made in muffin, mini muffin or mini loaf pans. Scroll down to view the how-to video!
Starbucks has changed their pumpkin bread over the years, so this copycat recipe is for their old school pumpkin bread, circa 2013.
With over 150 comments, this easy starbucks pumpkin bread recipe is a classic fall recipe that will soon be a favorite in your family!
Quick breads and muffins are some of my favorite baked goods because you can eat them any time of the day. Morning. Afternoon. Snack. Dessert. Yum.
If you want a better-for-you option, try this healthy pumpkin chocolate chip bread or healthy pumpkin muffins!
Pumpkin Everything
The pumpkin spice craze has unleashed for the the season.
The most notable pumpkin spice item is probably the pumpkin spice latte (PSL!). We should thank coffee shops everywhere for creating the best fall beverage ever.
There are definitely some PSL haters out there who want nothing to do with pumpkin spice. I personally love the craze, within reason. But I found some weird products that definitely shouldn’t have been pumpkin spiced. Yes, I just made it into a verb. Here’s my take on the good and the ugly of all things pumpkin spice.
GOOD: PSL, pumpkin spice coffee creamer, pumpkin sugar cookies, pumpkin spice pudding, pumpkin spice almonds, pumpkin spice kettle corn, pumpkin whipped cream.
UGLY: pumpkin spice dental chews for pets, pumpkin spice pringles, pumpkin spice lasagna, pumpkin spice seltzer water, and pumpkin spice skittles.
Do you have something to add to the list, on the good or ugly side?! Leave a comment telling us!
If you can’t get enough pumpkin baked goods, check out our pumpkin muffins, pumpkin scones, pumpkin donuts, or soft pumpkin cookies!
What You’ll Need
- all purpose flour – flour is necessary to build structure
- baking soda and baking powder – helps to leaven and lift the batter
- cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg – adds warmth and classic spice flavor
- salt – just a pinch to balance the sweetness and enhances the other flavors
- granulated sugar and brown sugar – adds sweetness, flavor, and moisture
- milk – adds fat and moisture
- eggs – binds the batter together by providing structure
- pumpkin puree – adds pumpkin flavor and acts as a binder
How to Make Pumpkin Bread
The best part about this Starbucks pumpkin bread recipe is that you’ll only dirty up 3 things – a small bowl, a larger bowl, and the loaf pan.
In a small bowl combine all of the dry ingredients.
In a larger bowl combine the sugars and all wet ingredients, stir to combine.
Gently mix in the flour mixture.
Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350ºF for 55-60 minutes.
Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Bread
This copycat version of Starbucks pumpkin pound cake rivals the real deal, so much so you won’t have to fork over $2-3 for a single slice anymore.
Bake up a whole loaf in your own kitchen in under 90 minutes, which the majority of that time is baking and cooling, aka a great time to watch Fixer Upper!
Gluten Free Starbucks Bread
I’ve made this bread with both regular and gluten free flour with awesome results on multiple occasions. I recommend King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Use it as a one for one substitute for regular flour.
How to Store
Store the bread in an airtight container on the counter. To keep the bread extra moist, wrap in plastic wrap then place inside the container.
How to Freeze Quick Bread
To freeze the whole loaf: allow it to cool completely, then wrap well in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Place inside a ziplock bag. To thaw, place the wrapped bread in the fridge overnight.
To freeze individual slices: allow the loaf to cool completely and slice. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap then in aluminum and place inside a ziplock bag. To thaw, place a slice in the fridge overnight. Or unwrap and microwave for 30 second intervals.
Pro Tips
1. DO NOT OVER MIX THE BATTER
I have been guilty of this myself and I am learning to be okay with lumps in my batter. For quick bread, do not use your electric mixer to beat in the dry ingredients, using a spatula and mixing by hand will give you more control.
“Mix just until incorporated” means mixing the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until you can just no longer see any flour streaks. Yes you should still scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl, but do that as you’re mixing in the flour.
2. DO NOT OVER BAKE
Sometimes the bread can trick you, it can look done on the outside but still be doughy in the middle. That’s when tenting the bread with aluminum foil comes in handy. It protects the top from becoming too brown, overcooked or crusty.
3. LOAF PAN SIZE MATTERS
There’s two popular loaf pan sizes – 9×5 and 8.5×4.5. Even though the numbers are similar, the pans actually differ in size by 15%. The 8.5×4.5 pan will yield a tall, more domed bread and will take 5-10 minutes longer when baking.
More Pumpkin Desserts
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Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour, gluten free all purpose flour works great!
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup milk, I used skim
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree, use a 15 oz can – you’ll have a little leftover in the can
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar, milk, and egg whites with a spatula or whisk. Add in the canned pumpkin, and mix together well.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, stirring until everything is combined.
- Throughly spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan before removing.
- Store in an air tight container.
Video
Notes
- For regular muffins bake at 425ºF for 7 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350ºF and bake for 12-14 minutes.
- This recipe turned out great using gluten free flour too! We love King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour.
- Get our recipe for Pumpkin Muffins!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
This is in my oven right now and my house smells delicious! My friend has made this recipe a couple of times in the past week and she just sent me the link telling me I have to try it. I can’t wait for breakfast because I think this will be great with my morning cuppa!
Hi Lisa! I sure hope it lives up to its name!! Let me know how it turns out!
Can’t wait to try this, I have so much pumpkin in my freezer and this looks yummy.
I have a super easy recipe for weight watchers pumpkin spice muffins that are soooooo good. They are very moist and very tasty and do not taste like they should be a weight watchers recipe.
https://www.food.com/recipe/weight-watchers-2-point-pumpkin-muffins-145312
Oh boy, I am going to check those out now, thanks!!
This recipe is awesome! I tried it using acorn squash puree instead of canned pumpkin. I also dusted the loaf pan with a cinnamon & sugar mix after I greased it. It turned out great and gave me a way to get rid of all the acorn squash I had acquired from my mother. I will definitely be making this again!
That does sound good, wish I had a piece of yours Sherry!
Have you made this in mini loaf pans? If so how long do you bake? Is it good next day or two? May try it as a party favor….
Hi Aggie, I have not made this in mini loaf pans. Possibly google suggested baking times for mini loaf pans. This pound cake is delicious for several days after baking!
@Aggie – I just made a double batch – one regular loaf (for me), two smaller disposable loaf pans for other families we are bringing dinners to (they just had babies). I baked it for about 45 mins plus a few more mins (didn’t keep track, was trying to get my toddlers down for nap times haha), but I just kept an eye on it after 45 mins and kept poking it with a toothpick until it came out clean.
Just made this and @Erica, you were right on 45 min was perfect. Wondering how to increase the pumpkin flavor a bit… Could I substitute pumpkin spice for the cinnamon, clove and nutmeg? If so, how much do you think 1 tsp? Would pumpkin spice intensify the pumpkin flavor?
Hi Aggie! I personally wouldn’t take out the cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, I think it adds a lot of flavor. You could try adding in some pumpkin pie spice if you want to increase the intensity of the pumpkin flavor.
i have to try this, what do you wrap your bread in?
I used parchment paper but wax paper works too.
Hello, this looks great could you tell me what size can of pumpkin I would use. Thanks for sharing
Hi Rich,
The recipe calls for 1 cup of canned pumpkin, if you buy a 14.5 oz can you will have some leftover pumpkin.
This tastes delicious. I don’t go to Starbucks, but believe Starbucks would have a gourmet bread like this.
I made two loafs because 1 can of pumpkin is enough for 2. Which is good, because one loaf is almost gone.
I was told, “it’s not good..it’s AWESOME!
I love this Mom!!
I’m on my way out to the store and will be sure to pick up some more canned pumpkin. This pound cake would be perfect with a cup of coffee. This sounds wonderful…and looks so pretty too. Stopping by from Whimsy Wednesday. Blessings, Catherine
Enjoy, wish I had some with a cup of coffee right now!
Beth, I found you over at the Real Family Fun Linky Party. I can’t wait to try this pumpkin loaf and appreciate you giving us the recipe. I’m a Starbuckaholic so I’m thrilled I can make this at home.
I hope you love it Marie!
Yum!! I’ll definitely have to try this!