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Cake Mix Pumpkin Bread

Cake mix pumpkin bread made with a tender, deeply moist orange-gold loaf texture—no complicated measuring beyond a simple stir. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, then finish with a quick powdered sugar glaze drizzle.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin bread
  • 1 can (15.25 oz) spice cake mix or yellow cake mix
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 cup water (only if batter is very thick)
  • 0.5 cup chocolate chips or chopped pecans Optional
Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla
  • 0.25 tsp cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan so the loaf releases cleanly after baking.
Mix the batter
  1. Combine cake mix, pumpkin puree, eggs, vegetable oil, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon in a bowl and stir until smooth with no dry pockets.
  2. Add water only if the batter seems very thick; stir until it is pourable but not runny.
  3. Fold in chocolate chips or chopped pecans if using so they distribute evenly through the loaf.
Bake
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level the top with a quick shake or gentle tap.
  2. Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool and glaze
  1. Cool the loaf for 15 minutes in the pan so it sets before removing.
  2. Remove the loaf and drizzle with glaze so it lightly sets on the warm surface.

Notes

Pro tip: for consistent texture, stop adding water as soon as the batter flows like a thick pour—too much can make the loaf dense. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 2 months. For a lighter option, replace vegetable oil with melted unsalted butter or a neutral oil with similar fat content (texture will be slightly richer but still tender).