Pumpkin Cranberry Bread With Caramel Glaze
This uber-moist pumpkin cranberry bread is perfectly spiced, overloaded with craisins and pecans, and topped with a sweet caramel glaze.
Today, I’m sharing a delicious pumpkin cranberry bread recipe that is perfect for fall. This recipe was submitted by beautiful Myra from My Blessed Life. Get ready to drool!
There are lots of different quick bread recipes on Southern Plate. There’s banana bread, strawberry bread, sweet potato bread, apple bread, and zucchini bread to name just a few. But today we’re putting pumpkin in the spotlight. Thanks to the pumpkin and the addition of applesauce, this pumpkin bread is extremely moist, tender, and dense like a delicious slice of pumpkin cake. Plus, every bite includes craisin bursts and crunchy pecan pieces.
Fortunately, this pumpkin cranberry bread recipe is super easy to make. First, we mix together our dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and delicious spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. In another bowl, we mix together the wet ingredients: canned pumpkin, oil, apple sauce, and eggs. All that’s left to do is combine the wet and dry mixtures, fold in the craisins and pecans, and pour the batter into two loaf pans. Oh yeah, did I say this recipe makes two delicious pumpkin loaves?
In one hour your kitchen is going to smell amazing as you take your cranberry pumpkin bread out of the oven. Now, I’ll be the first to say that it tastes fantastic on its own. But I tell you what, that caramel glaze adds a very special touch. It’s very easy to make and all you need is butter, three types of sugar, whipping cream, and vanilla.
Glazed or not, I hope you make this scrumptious pumpkin cranberry nut bread this fall.
Recipe Ingredients
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground ginger
- Solid pumpkin
- Olive oil
- Applesauce
- Eggs
- Chopped pecans
- Craisins
- Water
Caramel Glaze
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Whipping cream
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
Combine dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl.
In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients: pumpkin, oil, applesauce, eggs, and water. Mix well.
Stir wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, just until combined. Fold in pecans and craisins.
Spoon into two loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Caramel Glaze
This bread is perfectly delightful without the glaze. But if you want to take it over the top and impress both your and your family’s taste buds, add the glaze.
In a saucepan, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and cream. Cook until sugars are dissolved and then cool for 20 minutes.
Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Drizzle over cooled loaves.
Storage
- Store leftover pumpkin bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days (so the glaze doesn’t melt).
- You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Here are some substitutions and variations to make this pumpkin bread recipe work for you:
- Substitute the individual spices for 1 heaping tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice (or even apple pie spice) instead.
- Substitute the olive oil for your favorite oil or whatever you have on hand, such as vegetable oil.
- Use orange juice instead of water for a boost in flavor.
- Use craisins, dried cranberries, or even fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries.
- Omit the pecans for nut allergies.
- On the other hand, substitute the pecans for chopped walnuts instead.
- Top the bread with cream cheese frosting instead of caramel glaze.
- Remember you want to use canned solid pumpkin or pure pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, as that has a different texture and added sugar.
Recipe FAQs
What do you serve with pumpkin cranberry bread?
If you don’t want to top your pumpkin bread with caramel glaze or cream cheese frosting (mentioned above), you can keep it plain or serve it with a smear of softened butter or cream cheese or a drizzle of honey.
Check out these other perfect pumpkin recipes for fall:
Pumpkin Praline Cake With Cream Cheese Icing
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting & Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 15-ounce can solid pumpkin
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup craisins
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a bowl.2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 1.5 cups granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking soda, 1.5 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients: pumpkin, oil, applesauce, eggs, and water. Mix well.1 15-ounce can solid pumpkin, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup applesauce, 4 eggs, lightly beaten, 2/3 cup water
- Stir wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients, just until combined. Fold in pecans and craisins.1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1/4 cup craisins
- Spoon into two loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Nutrition
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and cream. Cook until sugars are dissolved and then cool for 20 minutes.1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup whipping cream
- Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.2/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Drizzle over cooled loaves.
Nutrition
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“The best inheritance a parent can give to their children is a few minutes of their time each day.”
~M. Grundler
Be sure and visit Myra over on her blog, My Blessed Life, for more great recipes and homemaking ideas. I just love Myra and I know you will, too!
I’m going to try this for are guest on Saturday. I’m need a recipe for Pumpkin spice Bread and using Sugar substitute lime Splendor. Thank you very much and I do enjoy preparing your recipes for my family.
I was going to make this recipe last saturday, but Kroger won’t get their pumpkin in until the end of Sept. Will have to make it then. Sounds delicious.
This was a big hit at my mother’s retirement home! I made it, last weekend in five small loaves, and, took it to my mom to share with friends at the home. The one man who says he loves pumpkin bread and thought it was the best he ever had.
Thanks Myra! I made this recipe on Saturday and I LOVE it! So moist. This will defnitely become a regular for me. I didn’t make the glaze because I was giving a loaf to some friends that were traveling. I didn’t think they wanted sticky fingers. It was great without the glaze. I can’t imagine how wonderful it will be when I add that next time. 🙂
Going to make this today. Looked so good but I had to travel around Edinburgh (Scotland) to find the pumpkin. Finally found two cans (last ones) in a speciality shop. xoxo
That looks fabulous! But, I am not supposed to have a lot of salt. Would it hurt the recipe to use less, I am wondering?
Thanks!
🙂
I think you could cut the salt a bit and it should work out okay. 🙂 It might not rise much, but the flavor should still be delish.
Wow!! Soooo good! Well… at least the caramel glaze. 🙂 I used my own recipe for pumpkin bread (my kids don’t like nuts in it), but added the glaze. It’s heavenly!! I received hugs and praises from my kids. Thanks for posting!
Wonderful Lori! I’m so glad y’all enjoyed the glaze!! 🙂
Myra, thanks for a great sounding recipe!! I have a large stock pile of pumpkin
and needed a new treat for my family and friends to try. Will be baking it this
weekend.