Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe (2024)

Starbucks Pumpkin Bread, formerly known as Starbucks Pumpkin Pound Cake, is a flavorful and moist bread (or cake) perfect for chilly fall weather.

Even if you aren’t a pumpkin lover, you might actually like this bread, I promise. It is not overly pumpkin, nor overly pumpkin spice.

Pumpkin Flavor

I’ll be the first one to admit it, I am NOT a pumpkin spice fanatic. I don’t mind it, but I also don’t count down to the day Starbucks releases the first Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Everything in the food blog-oshpere is pumpkin flavored. Half the time it isn’t even actually pumpkin, just pumpkin spice… which by the way is also very similar to apple spice and many other spice mixes.

Pumpkin puree without pumpkin spice is actually quite bland.

Starbucks Pumpkin Bread Recipe

I originally developed this recipe as a lighter version of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake, however since the original publishing date, they have since taken it off the menu.

I’m not sure why… perhaps the 3 cups sugar didn’t quite make up for the 6 eggs whites or people realized that “pound cake” should have real butter in it.

Whatever the reason, the Pumpkin Pound Cake has now been replaced with Starbucks Pumpkin Bread and quite honestly, it is probably a better and more accurate name.

Loaf Pan vs Cake Pan

No matter what you refer to it as, Starbucks Pumpkin Bread is a rustic and moist bread flavored with all the spices of fall.

I’ve opted to not bake it in a loaf and instead modified it to a bundt pan, which is just so much prettier and instead of needing 2 loaf pans, you only need 1 cake pan.

If you do want to use load pans, split it into two and bake for 50-55 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.

Ingredients

• Flour– provides structure, can also use whole wheat
• Pumpkin Pie Spice – use apple pie spice in a pinch
• Coarse Kosher Salt
• Leaveners: baking soda and baking powder
• Sugar
• Greek Vanilla Yogurt- make sure it is full fat Greek so it is thick.
• Eggs– provides structure and fluff
• Pumpkin puree– flavor and of course, color. Color will vary depending on the type and brand of pumpkin puree you use. Do not your pumpkin pie filling. I use homemade pumpkin puree.
• Vanilla– for flavor.

I also make my own Pumpkin Pie Spice and Pumpkin Puree, you are more than welcome to use canned and store bought of both, but I figured it was worth pointing out.

The cake comes together like most- sift dry ingredients. Cream together wet ingredients and bake.

Cinnamon Glaze

What sets this pumpkin bread apart from the others is the cinnamon icing drizzle and salty papitas. Here is what you’ll need:

• Powdered sugar
• Milk – almond or oat milk works too
• Ground cinnamon
• Pepitas- these are the tiny green pumpkin seeds opposed to the full grown white seeds.

Are there other options for glazing this pumpkin cake recipe? 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.

Whatever you do, make sure you let the cake cool completely.

Tools for making this Pumpkin Cake:

Bundt Pan– I like to get a relatively plain version, just so it is more verstile. There are only so many Pumpkin Bread “castles” and monkey breads I can make.

Sifter– While I used to think this step was superfluous, I don’t any more. It evenly mixes all your dry ingredients, prevent lumps and makes for lighter baked goods.

If you don’t have a sifter, at least whisk your dry ingredient together. I also prefer the ones with a rotary hand crank, then you can switch directions, effectively grinding down more of your ingredients.

Stand Mixer– I lived for a long time without one. My life was changed when I finally bit the bullet and bought one. Just do it and thank yourself later.

If you love my Starbucks Pumpkin Bread, then you’ll also love these other fall inspired baking recipes!

• Apple Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Crust
• Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
• Caramel Apple Cookies
• Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pound Cake
• Quick Apple Cake with Salted Caramel
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
• OREO Cookie Balls
• Easy Fudge Recipes
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
• Holiday Pavlova