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Pumpkin Bread With Crumb Topping

Pumpkin bread with crumb topping made in a 9x5 loaf pan for a caramelized cinnamon-streusel crust. A thick buttery brown sugar crumb blankets the loaf, while the pumpkin crumb stays tender from oven-baking with sour cream.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For crumb topping
  • 0.67 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.67 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.33 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
For the bread
  • 1.75 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 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
  • 0.33 cup sour cream

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 9x5 loaf pan

Method
 

Prepare and preheat
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
  2. Refrigerate crumb topping ingredients after forming the crumbs to keep the streusel from melting.
Make the crumb topping
  1. Cut cold unsalted butter into all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until large crumbs form, with a sandy texture and visible butter pieces.
  2. Refrigerate the crumb topping while you mix the bread batter.
Mix the pumpkin bread
  1. Whisk flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt together until evenly combined.
  2. Whisk pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream until smooth.
  3. Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture until just combined, avoiding overmixing so the loaf stays tender.
  4. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan.
Add topping and bake
  1. Scatter crumb topping very generously over the top, covering every inch so the loaf bakes with a thick crust.
  2. Bake at 350F for 60-65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  3. After 35 minutes, tent the loaf with foil to protect the crumb from over-browning.

Notes

Pro tip: refrigerating the crumb topping helps it stay thick and buttery instead of sinking into the batter. Store covered at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 2 months. For a lighter option, swap the oil for an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce (texture will be slightly less moist/crumbly).