Pumpkin Banana Bread is a mash-up of two favorite quick bread recipes for one amazingly moist, flavorful, perfectly spiced treat!
When you just canโt choose between making a loaf of pumpkin bread or banana bread, this Pumpkin Banana Bread is here to save the dayโand save you from making that tough decision! Using pumpkin puree and banana means you get a quick bread thatโs super moist, with a tender crumb thatโs impossible to resist!
Flavor-wise, this Pumpkin Banana Bread leans more towards pumpkin bread thanks to the addition of pumpkin pie spice. You taste the banana, but all those cozy fall spices just scream pumpkin. In fact, I think this Pumpkin Banana Bread is best served with a smear of pumpkin butter and pumpkin spice cold brew so you can totally revel in the fact that itโs pumpkin season.
Easy Pumpkin Banana Bread Recipe
Like all good banana bread recipes, this recipe is, well, quick! Quick breads are made like muffins (in fact, the ingredients and proportions are usually the same as muffin recipes), where you whisk the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another. Put them together and your batter is done! The hardest part is waiting for your bread to finish baking and cooling so you can cut yourself a slice and enjoy it.
And speaking of muffins, you can make Pumpkin Banana Bread in muffin tins or in a few smaller loaf pans instead of one big one. The bread freezes beautifully, so you can keep it on hand for another day, or you can share it with friends, family, and neighbors so they can enjoy some of that pumpkin-y goodness too!
Ingredients
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Granulated sugar
- Dark brown sugar โ If you only have light brown sugar on hand, you can use that, but the flavor will be milder.
- All-purpose flour โ You can make this recipe gluten-free by using a measure-for-measure gluten-free baking flour.
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Pumpkin pie spice โ Use store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- Eggs โ Hereโs the best way to crack an egg.
- Unsalted butter โ Melt the butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stovetop.
- Over-ripe bananasย โ The browner, the better! Theyโll add the most sweetness to your Pumpkin Banana Bread. (For another easy banana bread recipe, see my 4-Ingredient Banana Bread.)
- Pumpkin puree โ Donโt buy pumpkin pie mix because itโs pre-sweetened and spiced.
Variations
This Pumpkin Banana Bread is perfect as-is, but here are a few ideas for mix-ins and toppings:
- Nuts โ Pecans, walnuts, or almonds would be great in this quick bread.
- Chocolate chips โ Any variety of chocolate chips, or even cinnamon or white chocolate chips.
- Streusel topping โ Mix together some sugar, flour, and butter, and sprinkle it on top of the loaf before baking.
- Cream cheese frosting โ If you really want to up the decadence factor and make this bread worthy of a dessert, slather it with cream cheese frosting!
How to Make Pumpkin Banana Bread
1. Prepare
Preheat your oven to 350ยบF and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugars, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
3. Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a second mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, melted butter, mashed bananas, and pumpkin puree.
4. Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients
Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour mixture and gently stir to combine.
Tip: Be careful not to over-mix here! Mixing too much will toughen the gluten strands in the flour, which results in a tougher loaf of bread.
5. Bake
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
How to Store Pumpkin Banana Bread
Pumpkin banana bread will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze pumpkin banana bread. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw the bread at room temperature.
FAQs
Butternut squash puree will work just as well in this recipe. Here are some more substitutes for pumpkin puree.
There are a few reasons why bread can be gummy at the bottom. The most common reason is that your liquid-to-dry ingredient ratio was off; too little flour can result in a gummy, gooey bread. Make sure youโre precise when measuring your ingredients. Other possible causes are not enough time in the oven, an oven that bakes cooler than it should, or baking soda or powder that has expired.
Yes, you can! Just place the loaf pan back in a 350ยบF oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Absolutely. Just add 1 to 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice to the batter.
More Easy Quick Bread Recipes
Pumpkin Banana Bread
Ingredients
- ยฝ cup granulated sugar
- ยฝ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1ยฝ cups all-purpose flour
- ยพ tsp baking soda
- ยฝ tsp baking powder
- ยฝ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 large eggs
- ยฝ cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 overripe bananas mashed
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the sugars, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice and whisk to combine.
- In another mixing bowl, add the eggs, melted butter, mashed bananas, and pumpkin puree and whisk to combine.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold to combine, being sure not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes in the pan and then turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely.