Starbucks Pumpkin Bread

Starbucks Pumpkin Bread, formerly known as Starbucks Pumpkin Pound Cake, is a flavorful and moist bread (or cake) perfect for chilly fall weather. But you may find yourself wanting to make this copycat recipe all year!

 

What You’ll Need

All you need are some super simple ingredients to make this easy bread.

Pumpkin Bread

• Flour – All-purpose flour provides structure.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – You can make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice or use a store-bought version.
• Coarse Kosher Salt – This brings out the flavors of the other ingredients.
• Leaveners – You’ll need both baking soda and baking powder.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar helps to sweeten the bread.
• Greek Vanilla Yogurt- Be sure to use full-fat Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt has been strained more and will be thicker than regular yogurt.
• Large Eggs – These give the bread its structure and fluffy texture.
• Pumpkin Puree – I use a homemade Pumpkin Puree, but you can use canned pumpkin, too. Be sure to get the puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
• Vanilla Extract – The extract gives the bread a warm flavor and aroma.

Cinnamon Glaze

• Powdered sugar – This helps to give the glaze its silky texture.
• Milk – You can use regular milk but almond or oat milk works, too.
• Ground Cinnamon – This gives the glaze its signature flavor instead of just being a powdered sugar icing.
• Pepitas- These are the tiny green pumpkin seeds as opposed to the full-grown white seeds. I get the salted ones so they give a sweet and salty flavor profile.

Variations

There are a few ways to change up this easy recipe.

• Spice – You can use apple pie spice in a pinch. Or you can add other spices like nutmeg, ground ginger, and cloves.
• Flour – Instead of all-purpose flour, use whole wheat. Or, try using a 1:1 gluten-free alternative.
• Sugar – Replace some of the granulated sugar with brown sugar.
• Shape – Bake the cake in a loaf pan, or make mini loaves using mini loaf pans.
• Chocolate – Sprinkle some chocolate chips into the batter.
• Nuts and seeds – Sprinkle crushed pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds on top.
• Coconut – Top the cake with shredded coconut.
• Topping – If you don’t want to use the powdered sugar frosting, you can use a cream cheese frosting. You can also dust with a powdered sugar and pumpkin spice blend.

How to Make Starbucks Pumpkin Bread

This cake comes together quickly and easily!

1. Combine dry ingredients. Sift together the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
2. Combine wet ingredients. Place the wet ingredients in a large bowl of a stand mixer (or use an electric hand mixer). Beat until just combined.
3. Add together. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
4. Bake. Pour the batter into a pan and bake until the cake passes the toothpick test.
5. Cool. Allow the cake to cool briefly in the pan. Then, remove the cake from the pan and allow it to continue to cool on a wire rack.
6. Make the glaze. Combine all of the ingredients for the glaze in a medium bowl.
7. Glaze and serve. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and serve immediately or store.

Common Questions

Storage 

Since the glaze contains dairy, be sure to keep it in the fridge or freezer.

Refrigerator

Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to one week. If you’re storing slices, you can separate them with parchment paper.

Freezer

Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Fall Baking Ideas

Baking just comes natural in the fall. Here are our favorite recipes that use apples and recipes that use pumpkin.