Iced Pumpkin Bread with hard cider is the perfect mashup
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You’ll love this iced pumpkin bread so moist from gloriously orange pumpkin and the lively kick of hard cider and the addictive crunch of toasted pumpkin seeds. Topped with a gorgeous orange pumpkin glaze and more pumpkin seeds, this bread is a true Fall beauty.
When I saw the idea of Dunkin’s iced pumpkin loaf, I was immediately inspired to make my own version. 1st, in general I believe in making your own stuff so you know what’s going in it. 2nd: I can’t be bothered to drive 10 miles each way in the pajama pants portion of the day for pumpkin bread when I know I have probably everything in my pantry.
Plus, I promise you that Dunkin isn’t using something as special as hard cider in their bread. Hard cider is one of my favorite secret ingredients in my Fall baking. It adds lift and tenderness to quick breads and apple fritters, but more than anything it’s a flavor bomb and half. It is truly special, and one taste of this bread will convince you. My daughter gave this bread a 2000/10, lol. The boys had mixed reviews which we’ll talk about.
Either way, grab a can of pumpkin; you’re going to want to bake this up!
Iced Pumpkin Bread with Hard Cider
Why this bread will make you cry tears of pumpkin spice delight
- Hard cider: The hard cider adds lift to the bread, but it also ties all the flavors of pumpkin and the pumpkin pie spice together with a neat little bow. This will not taste like apple, just a rounded cohesive perfect bite of Fall.
- Dairy free!: Olive oil will add some extra Fall flavor but also make this pumpkin bread recipe appropriate for people who can’t handle dairy. I spent years not being able to handle dairy. During that time, breads like this made me feel like I could still get a treat that wasn’t sad. I reckon you could use a gluten-free all-purpose flour here as well, though I have not tested that theory.
- Pop of pumpkin seeds: if you love pumpkin seeds, this bread is for you. Toasting them brings out their more mysterious flavors and adds a crunch that’s positively addictive. You’ll definitely want to put them on top for the pretty factor. Who doesn’t love green on orange?
- Drizzle drippy pumpkin glaze: the glaze on this is so lovely with just enough pumpkin to give it a bright orange hue and to make perfect drips of glaze on the sides of the loaf.
What’s the difference between hard cider and regular apple cider?
This recipe calls for hard apple cider. Hard cider is a low percentage alcoholic drink similar to beer made from apples. Most of the ciders I have an alcohol strength also similar to beer–about 4-5%. I’ve seen local breweries make stronger stuff (up to 8%), but it’s probably a waste of good cider to use it for this pumpkin bread.
I’m using Angry Orchard here, but I’ve also used Strongbow (my #1 choice) and Woodchuck.
Whatever you use, hard cider is not as sweet as its non-alcoholic cousin, apple cider. With less sugar, hard cider will give you a bread that’s not as cloying as one made with apple cider.
What you need to make pumpkin bread with hard cider
Pumpkin bread
- Hulled pumpkin seeds: the green ones!
- All-purpose flour
- Light brown sugar
- Vanilla sugar (homemade or Native Vanilla vanilla sugar)
- Baking powder
- Pumpkin pie spice (or chai spice blend, apple pie spice or ground cinnamon)
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Eggs
- Canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- Hard cider: Use your favorite. I’ve used Angry Orchard, Strongbow, and Woodchuck all with success.
Pumpkin glaze
- Powdered sugar
- Canned pumpkin
- Whiskey or vanilla extract: I’ve come to really love Jack Daniel’s Apple in Fall baking, but vanilla extract is also delicious.
Why I toast my pumpkin seeds and how to deal with nut haters in your family
If you’ve never had toasted pumpkin seeds, go to your natural foods store, and fill up a bag right now.
First, they’re just so musical. When you pull them out of the oven, they’ll sit popping on the sheet tray as they cool. It’s a genuinely happy sound.
Second, the crunch they offer with the delicious natural fattiness they possess is better than just about anything.
The seeds are not by definition nuts, yet their similar texture to nuts just might offend the nut haters in your house (I have 4!). If that’s the case, simply take out the seeds in the batter. Do put the seeds on top the glaze, then tell your nut hating family members that you put them on top to make the bread beautiful. If they’re offended by the aesthetics, inform them that they are welcome to pick them off, placing them on your plate. You just thought you were here for a recipe, yet here you are getting rock solid relationship advice. You’re welcome in advance.
Other pan sizes to use for pumpkin bread
I formulated this recipe for baking in an 8×4.5″ pan. While I bake most of my yeasted bread loaves in my favorite Analon 9×5″ pans, I like quick breads in the smaller pan purely for the slightly taller look to the slices.
Realistically, you can bake this batter in many pans:
- 9×5: start checking the bread at 45 minutes. My bread is usually done in these pans at about 50 minutes.
- Mini Loaf Pan: just like with my mini banana breads, the pumpkin bread batter will take about 30 minutes in these. Made in disposable foil mini loaf pans, this bread will make awesome homemade gifts.
- Muffin tin: bake for 20-22 minutes.
Iced Pumpkin Bread with hard cider
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices
Description
Sweet pumpkin bread with the lively flavor of hard cider and the addictive crunch of toasted pumpkin seeds.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray for the pan
- 3/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds (optional, see note)
- 2 cups flour (260 g)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar (159 g)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla sugar (homemade or Native Vanilla vanilla sugar)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil (60 mL)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)(244 g)
- 6 oz cup hard cider
Pumpkin glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon canned pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon whiskey or vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
- Toast the pumpkin seeds on a flat sheet tray until you smell them: about 8-10 minutes. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the seeds for topping the glaze. The rest you’ll mix into the batter.
- Spray an 8”x4” loaf pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment that covers the bottom and long sides of the pan.
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- In another bowl, mix the olive oil, eggs, pumpkin and vanilla.
- Scoop the pumpkin seeds into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the pumpkin mixture and the hard cider.
Stir everything together until the flour is just moistened. 
Be sure to scrape down to the bottom of the bowl as there’s usually flour hanging out that you missed! - Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake the bread for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the pan cool for about 10 minutes, then pull on the sides of the parchment to release the loaf from the pan.
- Mix the glaze ingredients together. Spoon the glaze over the warm bread, then sprinkle the reserved pumpkin seeds over the top.
Cool the bread completely before slicing. - The bread is best eaten within 2 days and can be left at room temperature. You can warm slices on the second day in a toaster oven for a couple minutes for the best flavor.
Notes
Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t: Not everyone loves nuts or nut-like textures in their quick breads (pumpkin seeds qualify here). If you have those people in your house, just omit the pumpkin seeds, though I highly recommend putting the toasted seeds on TOP of the glaze regardless. The nut haters in my house all agreed that the seeds on top were less offensive, plus they look pretty.
Can I freeze it?: yes, you can, though know that pumpkin breads tend to get gummy in the freezer. If you plan to give loaves as gifts, bake them in disposable foil mini loaf pans with a note to warm the bread in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes to get rid of some of that freezer funk and make the bread taste awesome again.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Morning breads
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 265
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 236
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 27
