Craving pumpkin banana bread but without any actual pumpkin? This Pumpkin Spice Banana Bread, topped with a buttery streusel, brings all the warm and cozy spices you love while letting sweet, ripe bananas steal the show!
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Fall baking is all about cozy, comforting flavors, and this Pumpkin Spice Banana Bread delivers that-without using any pumpkin! As many of you know, from my pumpkin spice latte and pumpkin spice biscuit recipes, I'm just not a fan of Satan's squash. It is my childhood trauma. But pumpkin pie spice with a moist and delicious banana bread - that is my ideal version of a perfect Fall treat. Pour my morning coffee, I'm having two slices.
What makes this pumpkin banana bread extra special is the streusel topping. It's a simple mix of butter, brown sugar, flour, and a dash of pumpkin spice, but it creates a sweet, slightly crunchy layer that bakes to perfection. When it's done, you'll have a moist and flavorful loaf with a crisp, buttery topping that you will love serving for breakfast and brunch!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
I am serious about making banana bread with just the right amount of banana. If you know you know. Not enough banana and you might as well be making a plain loaf cake. Too much banana and the cake will be gummy and stodgy and will overwhelm the flavors of the pumpkin spice. It's all about balance 🧘🏻♀️
- All-purpose flour - Even though the name has bread in it, I do not recommend using bread flour. Plain all-purpose flour is easy to find and affordable.
- Brown sugar - Brown sugar is the most common sugar used in Fall quick breads. If you don't have brown sugar, but still want the rich brown sugar flavor, you can use plain granulated or caster sugar and add 1 tablespoon of molasses to your wet ingredients.
- Pumpkin spice - I use the simple pumpkin spice blend from my pumpkin spice pancakes, but you can substitute with a store brand or use apple pie spice, or even plain cinnamon.
- Bananas - In my humble, but correct opinion, two bananas, about 1 cup mashed, is the perfect amount of banana for this recipe. See the next section for the why's and the what's.
- Greek yogurt - I like the thick nature of Greek yogurt as it does an exceptional job of keeping your pumpkin loaf moist. You can absolutely use regular yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, or kefir in place of the Greek yogurt, if that's what you have on hand.
Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.
Cake for breakfast? Although not traditionally thought of as a breakfast cake, I can't get enough of my Grandmother's old-fashioned pound cake. Rich, buttery, and delicious with a hot vanilla latte, put this one on your brunch spread list!
Variations
This banana pumpkin bread recipe is actually a blank slate that you can make your own by adding any number of add-ins. Except my husband's grandmother's add-in of maraschino cherries. Just say no (sorry honey 😬)
- Choco-nut - My one-bowl banana bread with chocolate chips is super simple, and is the closest to my Grandmother-in-law's version - minus the wet cherries 😵💫
- Apple - I love to add apple to a Fall quick bread. Just a cup of grated apples will practically melt into the bread and give it so much flavor.
- Cranberry - This is as close as I can get to the wet cherry train: 1 cup of fresh or dried cranberries will definitely bring in a Holiday vibe and a nice tart/sweet bite.
If you are in the mood for banana bread but want something a little more playful, try my Banana Waffles With Chocolate Chips. You can even add pumpkin spice to the batter to keep the cozy vibes going!
Instructions
Making this pumpkin banana bread recipe is a matter of a simple application of the muffin method, or combining wet ingredients and dry ingredients and then baking. We add a delicious streusel topping because we aren't in the fancy hat wearing era anymore and I like to accessorize.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and butter or spray a 9 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
Step 1: In a medium bowl whisk brown sugar, flour, a pinch of salt, and pumpkin spice. Add softened butter.
Step 2: Cut in the butter using your fingers or a pastry blender, until it easily clumps together when pressed in your hand and then breaks apart easily into large and small clumps. Set aside.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl combine flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
Step 4: In a separate medium bowl, use a fork or potato masher to mash bananas until just a few lumps remain. If you prefer them more smooth, keep going, or use a hand mixer to pulverize them.
Step 5: Add eggs, brown sugar, salt, Greek yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract to your mashed banana and whisk together.
Step 6: Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and combine with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Step 7: Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with your spatula.
Step 8: Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top of the bread.
Bake: Bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a clean toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Then, and I know this is a big ask, let it cool completely before slicing. As if.
Making your own pumpkin spice
To have delicious pumpkin spice flavor available at all times, making your own is a breeze. Combine:
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
Mix well and store in a glass or plastic jar or container with a tight fitting lid for up to 6 months.
Recipe FAQs
Leave the loaf unsliced if possible and store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, slice your bread and wrap individual slices in plastic wrap. Store them all in a zip top bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you crave a slice, let it thaw on the kitchen counter. It's also perfect for packing in a lunch box!
Because we used vegetable oil, instead of butter, in this bread, you don't actually have to reheat it. It is delicious cold. But if warm banana bread warms your heart, just zap it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
Did you try this recipe?
Please consider leaving a comment with a ⭐️ rating below and tell me all about it! It helps me to continue to improve my content and lets others know what you think!
I appreciate it so much!
-Cynthia
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Banana Bread (without Pumpkin)
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
Streusel topping
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅓ cup (65 g) brown sugar light or dark
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) pumpkin spice
- Tiny pinch of salt two fingered pinch, so small
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (4 g) pumpkin spice
- 2 teaspoon (8 g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (225 g) mashed bananas from 2 medium bananas
- ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 (100 g) large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup (125 g) Greek yogurt room temperature
- 4 tablespoon (60 g) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment paper.
Make streusel
- In a small bowl whisk brown sugar, flour, pumpkin spice, and the tiniest pinch of salt.
- Cut in the butter using your fingers or a pastry blender, until it easily clumps together when pressed in your hand and then breaks apart easily into large and small clumps. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.
Make batter
- In a large bowl combine flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, use a fork to mash your bananas until just a few lumps remain. If you prefer them more smooth, keep going, or use a hand mixer to pulverize them.
- Add brown sugar,salt, eggs, Greek yogurt, oil, and vanilla and whisk together.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine with a rubber spatula until just combined. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes while you preheat the oven and prepare your pan.
Bake
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with your spatula.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter.
- Bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a clean toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then use the parchment paper to remove it and cool it completely on a wire rack.
I always love a Cynthia baking recipe and was once again not disappointed in this one for her banana bread. I made it using almost exact measurements and it came out moist, perfectly structured out of the oven and not overbearingly sweet. My house smells so good. Super easy prep too!
Thank you so much! I appreciate you 🥰