Get ready for a cozy fall treat that’s as simple as it is scrumptious! My easy pumpkin bread recipe combines simple ingredients like pumpkin purée and cake mix for an effortless dessert that's bursting with fall flavors. My husband loves sneaking a slice with his morning coffee, and I bet your family will too!
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This pecan-pumpkin spice bread is the perfect recipe for cooler months, especially right around Thanksgiving. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy the warmth of pumpkin spice without spending hours in the kitchen, making it a hit for family gatherings or even as a gift to neighbors.
If you love autumn-inspired recipes, check out my 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins, Banana and Pumpkin Muffins, Crispy Roasted Sweet Potatoes, and Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges, tossed in a spicy chipotle-maple mixture. But without further ado, let's whip up this gorgeous cake mix pumpkin bread and make your kitchen smell like fall!
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- How to Make Easy Pumpkin Bread With Cake Mix
- Variations
- Serving Suggestions & Food Pairings for Easy Pumpkin Bread With Cake Mix
- Storage and Reheating Tips
- Top Tips for Easy Pumpkin Bread With Cake Mix
- FAQs
- Related
- Pairing
- Rate This Fall Favorite Pumpkin Bread
- Easy Pumpkin Bread With Cake Mix (Moist & Delicious)
Why You’ll Love This Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
Craving a warm, comforting loaf with velvety vanilla glaze that’s easy to make? This delicious bread, studded with melty chocolate chips, comes together quickly and fills your home with the cozy scent of pumpkin pie spice!
- Super quick: With just 10 minutes of prep, it’s an easy recipe for busy days.
- Family-friendly: The chocolate chips and sweet glaze make it a hit with everyone.
- Versatile: Enjoy it for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or dessert.
- Minimal effort: Using a box of cake mix means less fuss.
- Great for gifting: Wrap it up for a thoughtful, homemade treat.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Gather these simple ingredients to create a tender, flavorful loaf that’s perfect for fall! Scroll to the bottom of this post for the recipe card with exact measurements.
- Pumpkin purée: This adds rich, earthy flavor and keeps the bread incredibly moist. Use mashed sweet potato for a similar texture.
- Eggs: They bring the batter together and add structure. If you use liquid eggs, read the packaging for the right conversion.
- Vegetable oil: This contributes to a moist texture. Swap with melted butter or canola oil for a slightly richer flavor.
- Whole milk: This adds creaminess and helps blend the batter smoothly. Unsweetened almond, coconut, and oat milk are good alternatives for a dairy-free version.
- Vanilla extract: This enhances the fall flavors with a warm, sweet note. Almond extract can add a unique twist.
- Spice cake mix: This provides the pumpkin spice flavor and simplifies the recipe.
- Chopped pecans: These offer a nutty crunch to complement the soft loaf. Swap with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for a nut-free option.
- Mini chocolate chips: These bring sweet bursts of chocolatey goodness. Milk, semi-sweet, and dark chocolate all work for this.
- Powdered sugar: This creates a sweet, smooth glaze for a polished finish. It's also called "confectioners' sugar." There's no good substitute, but you can skip the glaze for a simpler loaf.
- Milk: This thins the glaze for easy drizzling. Use any plant-based milk for a dairy-free glaze.
- Vanilla extract: This adds a sweet, aromatic touch to the glaze.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Easy Pumpkin Bread With Cake Mix
This simple recipe is all about ease and cozy vibes! You’ll prep a pumpkin batter with a box of spice cake mix, add tasty mix-ins, and bake a fluffy loaf in no time. Here’s the full recipe:
- Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients until smooth.
2. Step 2: Add the spice cake mix and stir until the batter is well combined with no dry streaks remaining.
3. Step 3: Gently fold in the chopped pecans and mini chocolate chips.
4. Step 4: Pour the batter into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Variations
Want to switch things up with this cake mix recipe for your pumpkin-loving guests? Try these fun twists for a delicious pumpkin loaf!
Make pumpkin muffins: Line a muffin tin and pour batter into each cavity until ¾s full. Bake at 350F for 18-22 minutes.
Bake in the center rack: Always bake in the center rack to prevent the bottom or top of your cake from browning too early and burning.
Swap the glaze: Substitute 1 tablespoon milk in the glaze for 1 tablespoon maple syrup to give your pumpkin cake some extra fall flair.
Change the box mix: If you don't have spice cake mix on hand, substitute it with yellow cake mix, white cake mix, or chocolate cake mix plus a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Banana-pumpkin bread: Swap half of the pumpkin puree in the recipe for mashed bananas to enhance the bread's natural sweetness.
Go vegan: Use flax eggs, plant-based milk, and non-dairy chocolate chips for a super yummy vegan version.
Different add-ins: Dried cranberries, raisins, golden raisins, butterscotch chips, chopped walnuts, and shredded coconut are great alternatives to the add-ins in the recipe. Add as many as you want, as long as the total is no more than 1 cup.
Spice it up: Stir ¼-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice into the dry ingredients for a cozier, spiced flavor.
Frost it: Skip the glaze and pipe your favorite cream cheese frosting over the cake for a tangy twist.
Serving Suggestions & Food Pairings for Easy Pumpkin Bread With Cake Mix
This moist pumpkin bread with hints of vanilla is a cozy, sweet treat for fall! Try these ideas to make your afternoons and gatherings extra special.
- Enjoy a slice with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa for the ultimate afternoon snack.
- For an extra decadent dessert, I love to serve it with whipped cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or pair it with my 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins, Banana Mini Muffins and Banana Pumpkin Muffins for a cozy pumpkin treat.
- It's perfect for parties, served alongside my Healthy Brownie Batter Dip, Caramel Apple Pretzel Bites, and Cookies and Cream Popcorn.
- For a savory twist, serve it with Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges, Skillet Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash or Crispy Roasted Sweet Potato for a comforting, flavorful combo.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Got leftovers of this delicious bread? Here’s how to keep it fresh for 5-7 days or longer!
Refrigeration
Tightly wrap the loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 5-7 days. Let it come down to room temperature before serving.
Reheating
You don't need to reheat it, but it gives it that freshly-baked feel that I love. Warm slices in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or in a toaster oven at 300°F for 5 minutes to restore softness.
Freezing
Wrap the cooled loaf or slices in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Top Tips for Easy Pumpkin Bread With Cake Mix
Want to make this golden pumpkin cake shine any time of year? These tricks ensure the best results for your flavorful loaf!
Don’t overmix: Stir the pumpkin mixture until just combined. Some small lumps left in the batter are okay because overmixing results in a dense loaf.
Stick to a 9x5-inch loaf pan: Using the wrong size loaf pan can mess up the loaf. A smaller pan makes the batter too deep, so it takes longer to cook and can end up raw in the middle. A larger pan spreads it too thin, so it bakes too fast and can dry out the bread.
Line it: If your loaf pan has been with you for longer than you can remember, it's best to line it with parchment paper for this recipe. It prevents any sticking and ensures a beautiful, perfectly shaped loaf once you remove it from the pan.
Let it cool: Don't remove the bread from the loaf pan immediately after baking because it'll crumble. Give it 10-15 minutes to rest (and set) before carefully transferring it onto a wire rack to finish cooling before slicing.
FAQs
Got questions about this easy pumpkin bread recipe? Here are answers to help you bake the perfect recipe!
No. Stick to pumpkin purée, a sugar-free one (if possible), for this cake mix recipe. Pumpkin filling tends to be pre-sweetened and spiced, altering the final flavor and texture.
Yes! A whisk or silicone spatula works just fine.
Absolutely! This delicious pumpkin loaf is super tasty on its own.
Omit chopped pecans and use pumpkin seeds or extra chocolate chips for a nut-free alternative.
The Betty Crocker Spice Cake Mix is my absolute favorite, but feel free to use your preferred brand.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this pumpkin bread:
Rate This Fall Favorite Pumpkin Bread
This moist pumpkin bread is a fantastic way to enjoy cozy fall flavors with your favorite pumpkin-lovers! Share your creations with me on Hungry Whisk, and don’t forget to subscribe for more delicious recipes and printable recipe cards!
Easy Pumpkin Bread With Cake Mix (Moist & Delicious)
Ingredients
Ingredients for bread
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin purée
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 box (15.25 oz) spice cake mix
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Ingredients for glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add in the spice cake mix and stir until everything is well combined. No need to overmix, just until you don’t see any dry spots.
- Fold in the pecans and mini chocolate chips to the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for about 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the bread is cool, whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth and drizzle over the top. Once the glaze is set, slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Stephanie says
This recipe was easy enough that my daughter who is 13 years old, was able to put it together without any help. I loved how moist the bread turned out.
Madhu (Author) says
That is wonderful feedback! I love hearing that a recipe is easy enough for a young baker to tackle independently. Give your 13 year old chef a high five!
Therese says
My MIL was visiting last weekend, so I made this! I loved how easy it was, and it tasted amazing! She absolutely loved it.
Madhu (Author) says
That’s great to hear. I’m glad it was easy to make and that your MIL enjoyed it.
Risa says
This pumpkin bread looks fantastic and I love that it is made easy with a spice cake mix. We love all things pumpkin here and look forward to making this in the Fall!
Madhu (Author) says
So glad you love it. Using a spice cake mix makes it super easy and perfect for all the pumpkin lovers!
Courtney says
Love how easy it is with the cake mix!
Madhu (Author) says
I am so glad you love it! Using a cake mix really makes it super easy!
Abi says
Omg love this pumpkin bread! Can't belive you can make a moist and delicious bread with just a cake mix like this! Thanks for sharing such an easy and simple recipe!
Madhu (Author) says
Yay so happy you love it! Cake mix really makes it easy to get a moist and delicious pumpkin bread!
Madhu (Author) says
We absolutely loved this one-bowl pumpkin bread! It’s super moist, packed with fall flavor, and couldn’t be easier to make with a cake mix. A cozy treat that’s perfect for the season, definitely worth a try!