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Classic Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Streusel Topping

Pumpkin bread with cinnamon streusel bakes into a moist, tender loaf topped with crisp, buttery oat clumps. A simple whisk-and-fold batter and a toothpick test make this a straightforward fall bake.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420

Ingredients
  

For the streusel
  • 0.5 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar light, packed
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp butter unsalted, cold, cut into small pieces
For the bread
  • 1 nonstick cooking spray
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs large
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree canned, not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 9x5-inch loaf pan

Method
 

Make the streusel
  1. Stir the oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl.
  2. Work in the cold butter with your fingertips until coarse clumps form.
  3. Refrigerate the streusel while you prepare the bread.
Make the bread
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, oil, eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until smooth.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and fold just until no dry streaks remain.
Bake and cool
  1. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
  2. Sprinkle the streusel over the top.
  3. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs; if the topping gets dark before the loaf is done, tent the pan loosely with foil.
  4. Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes.
  5. Turn it out onto a wire rack.
  6. Cool completely before slicing.

Notes

For coarse, crisp streusel, keep the butter cold and work it in just until clumps form. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze slices for up to 3 months. For a dairy-free swap, use dairy-free butter in the streusel.