Is pumpkin bread a dessert or breakfast? Either way it’s delicious

Pumpkin bread may be the quintessential dessert of autumn. Yes, there is apple pie to contend with, and yes, apple pie is delicious. But the work involved in making quick bread is, well, much quicker than all the steps required for pie assembly. And frankly, one month into the school year I need faster assembled desserts (and dinners!) to feed my always-hungry teenagers.

I find myself reaching for pumpkin as soon as the first leaves start to fall. Usually this happens in September, but this year many of our leaves are still bright green and hanging on to their branches and seem determined to stay that way for a few weeks. I’m making pumpkin things anyway.

I’m giving you my favorite pumpkin bread recipe, the one I make all season long for family and friends. I’ve streamlined it so it now only needs one bowl, and I’ve added a few ways to “jazz it up” if you’ve already made piles of pumpkin bread and need some variations.

There is the tried-and-true recipe, with just a sprinkling of sugar on top. There is also a version with mini chocolate chips — I prefer the little pieces of chocolate over large ones. You can also swap out regular old vegetable oil for olive oil to change up the flavor profile, and then there is a recipe for cream cheese icing topping, which is my favorite way to eat it.

Some helpful tips for making this pumpkin bread:

Makes one 9-inch loaf.

This one-bowl pumpkin bread recipe from Sarah Kieffer is one of her favorites.

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan or a 9- by 4- by 4-inch Pullman pan and line with a parchment sling.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, pumpkin purée, oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, baking soda, ginger, baking powder, lemon juice, nutmeg and cloves together until totally combined. Add the flour, and use a spatula to mix until the flour is incorporated. Switch back to the whisk and whisk the batter to eliminate any remaining lumps in the dough, about 10 seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top generously with the sanding sugar. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If at any point during baking the top of the loaf is browning too quickly, lay a piece of aluminum foil over it.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Using the parchment sling, lift the loaf out of the pan, peel off the paper, and let the bread finish cooling on the wire rack. The bread can be stored wrapped in plastic at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Cream cheese icing: Omit the sanding sugar from the bread. Instead, place 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 ounces (57 g) cream cheese, both at room temperature, and a pinch of salt into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar, beating on low speed until combined. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and mix again on low speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Use on completely cooled pumpkin bread; spread on top of the bread with an offset spatula.

Olive oil: Replace the vegetable oil with equal parts olive oil.