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Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Bread

Cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread with a caramelized, thick cinnamon-sugar crust and a moist pumpkin interior. The batter is swirled with cinnamon sugar before baking for a tender crumb and golden top.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For cinnamon sugar
  • 0.3333333333 cup granulated sugar divided for pan coating, swirl, and topping
  • 2 tsp cinnamon divided for pan coating, swirl, and topping
For the bread
  • 1.75 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 0.5 cup oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.25 cup buttermilk

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and pan coating
  1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Brush a 9x5 loaf pan with melted butter and coat with a generous layer of cinnamon sugar so the crust clings to the sides and top.
  2. Whisk the bread dry ingredients until evenly combined. Look for a uniform color with no visible spice or soda pockets.
  3. Whisk the wet ingredients until smooth. Stop when the mixture looks glossy and free of streaks.
  4. Fold the wet mixture into the dry just until incorporated. The batter should be thick and no dry flour should remain.
Assemble and swirl
  1. Pour half the batter into the pan. Spread it into an even layer so the swirl has consistent depth.
  2. Sprinkle a layer of cinnamon sugar over the batter. Use a light, even dusting so it melts into streaks.
  3. Add the remaining batter on top. Level the surface gently to avoid disturbing the swirl layer.
  4. Swirl gently with a knife. Make a few careful passes to create ribbon-like streaks through the crumb.
  5. Top generously with the remaining cinnamon sugar. Aim for a visible, thick layer that will caramelize during baking.
Bake and cool
  1. Bake for 60-65 minutes at 350F. The cinnamon sugar should form a caramelized crust with a golden-brown look.
  2. Remove the loaf from the pan while still slightly warm. Cooling in the pan can cause sticking, so loosen promptly for clean slices.

Notes

Pro tip: weigh your flour for consistent texture, since pumpkin quick breads can turn dense with too much flour. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 2 months. For a lighter option, replace the oil with an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce for a slightly softer, less rich loaf.