Pecan Praline Pumpkin Bread

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A sweet pecan praline filling is swirled into a loaf of moist and tender Pumpkin Bread for an amazing treat! Drizzled with silky brown sugar icing, you’ll want to devour half the loaf! I know I sure did!

Moist Praline Pumpkin Bread With Brown Sugar Icing

I am a massive fan of pumpkin bread. Before I crafted this loaf of pure heaven, I didn’t believe there was a way to make it better. Boy was I wrong. Laced with brown-sugary pecans, this stuff takes my Classic Pumpkin Bread to a whole new level!

The praline filling is layered into the bread itself and also baked on top of it. The layer on the inside stays moist and brown-sugary, while the top one bakes a bit more and adds a little crunch. While the bread bakes, some of the top layer collects in the center since the edges of the loaf rise before the middle.

This, my friends, is where the magic happens! As the pumpkin bread cools, it falls a little right in that area where the topping collects and becomes this pocket of soft pecan praline amazingness. When you bite into that, the pumpkin bread and the brown sugar icing together, you’ll be totally smitten.

I initially tested the loaf several times to try to get rid of that pocket since it makes the loaf fall in the middle a bit, but it’s hard to get rid of if you want the praline mixture on top. Since the loaf naturally rises on the sides first (because that’s where the heat meets the pan), and the mixture moves around, it moves into the center. I could have tried to remove some moisture from the praline mixture to get it to stay in place, but then I’d be messing up such a good thing. Since that’s pretty much my favorite part, I embraced it!

The collection of the praline layer does make it a little tough to test the bread for doneness, but it’s a tiny price to pay. That melt-in-your-mouth praline pocket on top is my favorite part!

What You’ll Need

This luxurious loaf is made with kitchen and pantry staples. Scroll down to the recipe card for the specified amounts.

For the Pumpkin Bread

• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder: The mixing of baking soda and baking powder gives the best rise and texture.
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Nutmeg
• Ground Cloves: These warm spices add wonderful flavor – don’t leave any of them out!
• Salt
• Unsalted Butter: Bring this to room temperature.
• Sugar
• Eggs: You’ll need one full egg and an extra white.
• Pumpkin Puree: Not pumpkin pie filling.

For the Pecan Praline Topping

• Light Brown Sugar: Packed into the measuring cup.
• Heavy Whipping Cream: Also called heavy cream.
• Unsalted Butter: Room temperature.
• Chopped Pecans

For the Brown Sugar Icing

• Unsalted Butter
• Heavy Cream
• Brown Sugar: Packed.

How to Make Pecan Praline Pumpkin Bread

I love how the smooth brown sugar icing enhances the praline swirled into this pumpkin bread, but you can leave it off if you’d like. Just keep in mind that the top of the loaf might be a little more crumbly when you cut into it. Either way, it’ll be divine.

Prep for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan very well with nonstick baking spray.

Combine Dry Ingredients: Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until it’s all combined, then set the bowl aside.

Combine Butter & Sugar: Mix together the butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl just until combined.

Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until well combined after each addition.

Increase Mixer Speed: Turn the mixer to medium speed and beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Add Pumpkin: Add the pumpkin puree and beat until well combined. The mixture may look a little curled and separated – that’s okay.

Add Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. Do not over-mix the batter. If you need to stir it a bit more, use a spatula and do it gently by hand. Set the prepared batter aside.

Make Praline Filling: Add all of the praline ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and stir until well combined.

Layer Into Pan With Batter: Spread about half of the pumpkin bread batter evenly into the loaf pan. Top it with a little more than half of the pecan mixture, dropping it evenly over the batter. Add the remaining batter by dropping spoonfuls over the pecan mixture, then gently spreading it into an even layer. Drop the remaining pecan mixture evenly over the top of the batter.

Bake: Bake the bread for a total of 70-80 minutes. When the bread rises, some of the praline mixture will likely fall around the middle – to tell if the bread is done, insert a toothpick just outside of the center where the pecan topping has gathered and see if the toothpick comes out clean. The praline part won’t totally firm up during baking, which is fine, but you want the bread part to be fully baked.

Let Cool: Remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool to at least room temperature before you remove it from the pan.

Make Icing: Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it’s melted and boiling. Let it boil for about 30 seconds, then pour it into a heat-proof bowl so it doesn’t continue cooking.

Drizzle Over Loaf: While the icing is still warm, drizzle it onto the pumpkin bread.

Enjoy! Slice and serve.

Tips for Success

Want to make sure your praline pumpkin bread comes out perfect? These helpful tips will light the way.

• Get an Accurate Flour Measurement: Don’t scoop your measuring cup directly into the flour – this will cause it to over-pack. Instead, spoon it in little by little and level it off at the top, fluffing up the flour before picking up each spoonful. Better yet, use a food scale (like I do) to be sure it’s accurate.
• Grease the Pan Well: It’s important to grease your loaf pan thoroughly so the finished bread can be removed with ease. I use non-stick baking spray
• Tent the Loaf With Foil If Needed: If your oven has the tendency to over-brown things, tent the bread loosely with aluminum foil about 30 minutes into the bake time. Make sure the tent leaves room for the bread to rise.
• Let the Bread Cool: Don’t try to remove your loaf from the pan while it’s still warm! In order to prevent breakage, wait until it fully reaches room temperature.

Storage Instructions

Keep leftover pumpkin bread in an airtight container at room temperature. It’s best if it’s eaten within 3-4 days. Warm up individual slices in the microwave for about 5 seconds before you dig in, if desired.

Does This Freeze Well?

Without the brown sugar icing on top, this pumpkin bread freezes beautifully. Simply wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil, then freeze it in a freezer-safe storage bag.

Enjoy your pumpkin bread within 2 months of freezing it, thawing it out in the fridge overnight before adding the icing (if desired) and enjoying. Bring it to room temperature before you serve it if you’d like.

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More Comforting Pumpkin Recipes

• Pumpkin Pound Cake
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Pumpkin Layer Cake
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies