This 2-ingredient pumpkin bread is fall baking at its simplest, no eggs, no oil, no milk, just two ingredients and about 40 minutes. Fall flavors are some of our favorite flavors around here, and outside of a pumpkin pie smoothie for breakfast and apple donuts for an after-school snack, this bread and my Panera pumpkin muffins are the most requested fall treats in my house.
As a busy mom of three, I love recipes that use pantry ingredients to make something genuinely good. Much like my whipped vanilla pudding and pumpkin dump cake, a store-bought box mix is the whole secret here.
Ingredients
- Cake mix: Use a spice cake mix for the most fall-like warm flavors. However, in a pinch, a yellow cake mix will work as well. My favorite brand is Duncan Hines, but any brand of cake mix you like will work.
- Pumpkin puree: Not pumpkin pie mix, just pure pumpkin is what you want for this recipe. Libby's brand is great, but other store brands are fine as well.
Pumpkin Puree vs Pumpkin Pie Mix
Pumpkin puree is just one ingredient, pumpkin, pureed smooth and it works in sweet or savory recipes. Pumpkin pie mix is already sweetened and spiced, built for pie. This recipe needs plain puree; pie mix will throw off the balance.
How to Make Pumpkin Bread with Cake Mix
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray your loaf pan with baking spray.
Step 2: Stir the cake mix and pumpkin puree together in a large bowl until just combined. Don't overmix, it will lead to a tough pumpkin bread. The batter will be thick.
Step 3: Pour into the pan, smooth the top, and bake 35-40 minutes, until the middle is set and the top is craggly and just browning.
Step 4: Let it cool at least 30 minutes on a cooling rack before slicing, cutting in too early and it'll fall apart on you.
Additional Pan Sizes
- Snacking cake: 8x8 or 9x9 pan, adjust bake time down.
- Pumpkin cookies: Scoop onto a sheet pan, bake 10-15 minutes.
- Muffins: Portion into a muffin tin (regular or mini), adjust bake time.
Optional Toppings
Before baking: Pumpkin seeds (ala Starbucks pumpkin loaf), chopped walnuts, mini chocolate chips, or a tablespoon of cinnamon sugar. After baking: a cream cheese frosting drizzle, chai spice drizzle, or a thin layer of vanilla icing.
Serving Ideas
My kids devour this the second it's cool enough to slice, but there's more you can do with it:
- Toast a slice and serve with butter for breakfast.
- Top with whipped cream or pumpkin no-churn ice cream for a quick dessert.
- Crumble it with 2 cups of cream cheese frosting for pumpkin cake pops.
- Cube it into pumpkin overnight oats.
- Layer with granola and yogurt for a pumpkin breakfast parfait.
- Layer with whipped pudding and whipped cream for a pumpkin dessert trifle.
Check out these other quick dessert recipes
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📖 Recipe
2-Ingredient Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
- 1 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1 box Spice Cake Mix
- 15 oz Can Pumpkin Puree
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray your loaf pan with baking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, stir together the spice cake mix and pumpkin puree until just fully incorporated. Try not to overmix (it leads to a tougher bread). The batter will be thick.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth out the top and put into the oven.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the middle is set and the top is craggly and just browning.
Notes
- Storage: Airtight container or wrapped well, good on the counter up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Individual slices freeze up to 3 months.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter. It will be thick, but you just want the spice cake mix and pumpkin puree to combine together.
- The same batter can easily be baked in other size pans. Just be sure to adjust the baking time.
So Delicious says
Excellent and easy. It tastes like I went to great lengths to make it smell, taste and look so wonderful..
Marni Katz says
My 5th grader made this on her own and it was delish!
Diane Hu says
Thanks!
Made into muffins and sprinkled pumpkin seeds on top.
Jo says
How long do you cool the bread after baking before you take it out of the pan?
Marni Katz says
Typically 10-15 minutes before I take it out of the pan and then let it cool on a cooling rack.
Brenda says
This is a lifesaver recipe 5💫. I didn't make it because there was no spice cake mix. I have had it before so know it's a good recipe for when you aren't able to cook. I made it with yellow cake mix, two beaten eggs and 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice. I also added a bit of coconut cream as seasoning.
Marni Katz says
about 10 minutes or so.