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4.6 from 24 votes

Pumpkin Banana Bread with Browned Butter Frosting

This pumpkin banana bread is topped with a homemade browned butter frosting. It's super moist from the bananas, pumpkin, yogurt, and butter in the batter! 

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Cooling Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
Servings: 1 9x5-inch loaf
Calories: 793 kcal
Course: Breakfast , Bread
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Pumpkin Banana Bread
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter melted (half of one stick)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 to 6 ounces vanilla or plain yogurt one standard-sized small container; Greek-style preferred, or sour cream may be substituted; I use Chobani Vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon unsulphered molasses optional
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree*
  • 1 cup mashed bananas about 1 1/2 large or 2 small bananas
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon salt optional and to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
Optional Mix-ins:
  • ⅓ cup raisins shredded carrots, shredded coconut flakes, nuts, or chocolate chips
  • one 3.4-ounce box vanilla instant pudding mix not Cook ‘n Serve**
Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
  • ¼ cup butter half of one stick
  • 4 tablespoons cream cheese
  • 1 ½ cups+ confectioners’ sugar sifted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoons+ cream or milk optional and to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Make the Bread
  2. Preheat oven to 350F, then spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and flour the pan; set aside.
  3. In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute.
  4. To the melted butter, add the sugars, egg, yogurt, vanilla, molasses, and stir or whisk to combine.
  5. Add pumpkin puree, bananas, and stir to incorporate.
  6. Add the optional add-ins and the dry pudding mix (Note: You are not making pudding; simply add the mix as a dry ingredient).
  7. Stir in the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and cloves.(All spices should be added to taste; if you like a heavier cinnamon or pumpkin-pie flavor, add more. If you don’t keep them all on hand, not a big deal; use what you do have)
  8. Add the flour and baking soda and stir until just combined, taking care not to over-mix or bread will become tough (this is a fairly thick batter).
  9. Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake for about 60 to 68 minutes (this is for one 9-by-5-inch loaf), or until top is golden and set, and a wooden skewer, cake tester, or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. (If bread is browning a bit fast on the top, you may wish to lower your oven temperature to 325F or tent the pan with foil in approximately the last 20 minutes of cooking).
  10. Allow bread to cool in the loaf pan for at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan and transferring to a rack to finish cooling.
  11. Store unfrosted bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or store frosted bread in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Unfrosted bread can be frozen for up to 3 months.
  12. Make the Frosting
  13. You can brown the butter in a small saucepan on the stovetop, heating over medium heat. Swirl the pan or stir frequently for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the sputtering, crackling, and foaming has subsided, the butter has browned, and has a nutty aroma. Watch it closely so that it doesn’t go from browned and nutty to burnt and inedible.
  14. Or, brown the butter in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl by heating it on high power, uncovered, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sputtering, crackling, and foaming has subsided, the butter has browned, and has a nutty aroma. The same rules apply in the microwave as on the stovetop; watch it closely and start checking it every 15-to-30 seconds starting at about the 5-minute mark, so that it doesn’t go from browned and nutty to burnt and inedible.
  15. Transfer hot butter to medium-sized mixing bowl and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes.
  16. Add the cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
  17. Based on desired frosting consistency and taste preference, add the cream or milk one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached, playing with sugar and cream ratios as necessary.
  18. Drizzle or spread frosting over the top of the bread before slicing and serving; or slice, serve, and frost each piece individually. I prefer to use the frosting like butter and spread it liberally on the interior surface of a slice.
  19. Store extra frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

  • *I used Trader Joe’s pumpkin puree, which was thick, dense, and well-packed. If using another brand of pumpkin puree that is thinner, you may wish to increase the flour to 1 3/4 cups or slightly over, but at 1 2/3 cups flour my batter was already quite thick
  • **You don’t have to use pudding mix, but it adds wonderful moisture and flavor to the bread. If omitting, you may wish to add an additional 1/4 cup granulated sugar and an additional 1/4 to 1/3 cup flour, based on taste preference and how your batter looks.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 793kcal (40%) Carbohydrates 93g (31%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 19g (29%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Polyunsaturated Fat 6g Cholesterol 56mg (19%) Sodium 472mg (20%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 65g (130%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 19x5-inch loaf

Amount Per Serving

Calories 793

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 793kcal 40%
Carbohydrates 93g 31%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g 35%
Cholesterol 56mg 19%
Sodium 472mg 20%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 65g 130%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.