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This Healthier Pumpkin Banana Bread is generously spiced and is made using applesauce and spelt flour, and then spread with an addicting Maple Caramel Cream Cheese Icing.

Healthier Pumpkin Banana Bread with Maple Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

This is the most moist quick bread that I have ever had. No contest. It has all the powerhouses of moistness: brown sugar, buttermilk, pumpkin and banana!

It is a healthier version of the best pumpkin bread and pumpkin coffee cake!

Aaaannnd then there is obviously the Maple Caramel Icing to completely separate this bread from Healthy. A silky, decadent maple cream cheese frosting made with my Maple Caramel Sauce.

Pure pumpkin maple bliss.

Healthier Pumpkin Banana Bread with Maple Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
pumpkin bread slices wooden board on marble counter.
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{Little sigh of pleasure}

The bread is ridiculously addictive and delicious even unadorned with frosting. It is incredibly moist and bursting with pumpkin and spices! I ate an entire mini-loaf by myself the first night. BAD.

But oh so good.

Healthier Pumpkin Banana Bread with Maple Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

This pumpkin bread is packed full of Fall spices: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and, yes, mace. Don’t forget the mace! It’s my secret ingredient that I shared in my post about Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Healthier Pumpkin Banana Bread with Maple Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

I used mostly spelt flour in place of all-purpose flour in this recipe, but if you can’t find it, using 100% all-purpose flour will be just as wonderful.

Healthier Pumpkin Banana Bread with Maple Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
5 from 1 ratings

Healthier Banana Pumpkin Bread with Maple Caramel Icing

This Healthier Banana Pumpkin Bread is generously spiced and is made using applesauce and spelt flour, and then spread with an addicting Maple Caramel Cream Cheese Icing.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 32 Slices

Ingredients 
 

For the Bread:

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Makes: 9 x 2inch rectangle

Instructions 

For the Pumpkin Banana Bread:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350° and butter and sugar (or flour) 2: 9 inch x 5 inch x 3 inch loaf pans or 6 mini pans.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, powder, salt and all the spices; set aside.
  • In a separate bowl {if you are using an immersion blender like me} or in the pitcher of a blender, add the bananas and process until smooth. Next add the pumpkin, applesauce and oil; process until smooth. Add the buttermilk, and process to incorporate. Add the brown and granulated sugar and process until smooth. Last add the eggs and process until incorporated.
  • If you are using a blender, pour the mixture into a mixing bowl. Add half the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and gently fold to incorporate. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture. Fold until very few lumps remain.
  • Pour into your prepared baking pans. The batter should fill about 2/3 of the pan. It will rise! If you find yourself with extra batter, pour into muffin tins or into another small loaf pan.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 40-75 minutes. The baking time varies greatly by the pan that you choose. Start peaking at 45 minutes. When the bread no longer jiggles in the center, test with a toothpick. It should come out clean or with very few crumbs clinging to it. Cool 20 minute in the pan and then turn them out to cool completely on a wire rack.
  • Make the Frosting:
  • Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, salt and cinnamon on medium speed until smooth and creamy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
  • Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until smooth and creamy. Slowly pour the caramel into the frosting in gradual increments until the frosting is a spreadable consistency and achieves the maple flavor you desire. My maple caramel was a bit runny so I added full amount but then added some more powdered sugar to thicken it back up. You can adjust to your liking.
  • Frost cool loaves with an offset spatula. The frosting will keep best in the refrigerator but it will also keep for several days at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 2336IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Calories: 206
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Healthier Pumpkin Banana Bread with Maple Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
Healthier Pumpkin Banana Bread with Maple Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Hi, I’m Chef Lindsey!

I am the baker, recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind Chef Lindsey Farr. I believe in delicious homemade food and the power of dessert!

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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60 Comments

  1. Today is October 23rd, 2017. I’m a little bit late to the party here. I stumbled onto you through a lasagna thread on Pinterest. I almost NEVER post comments. (WHO HAS THE TIME!) But I HAVE to say this to you: this blog is beyond amazing. I love every bit of it. Yes, there are 20 million+ other food sites out there, but this one is now my all-time fave. It’ll be my #1 go-to from here on. I love your theme…..America does offer the best food hands down. Thank you for offering it to the world!!
    Can’t wait to dive into the pumpkin banana bread and the maple caramel pecan bars! Yum.

    1. Oh Jana, thank you so much! Your comment made my day! You are never too late to join this party! Happy to have you here. 🙂

    1. Hi Michelle, I’ve never tried it with almond flour so I am not sure. Almond flour is a lot coarser and heavier than all-purpose, which will impact the texture of your bread.

  2. Just found this on Pinterest–thank goodness! Don’t hate me, but what would happen if I used skim milk or soy milk instead of buttermilk, less sugar and wheat flour instead of regular? My husband is super extreme… : ( but I want him to eat it! Many thanks for any insights you might have for me…

    1. I’m glad you found it Lisa! I’m not 100% positive what would happen if you made those substitutions because I haven’t tried them, but these are my best guesses. Substituting anything for the buttermilk will compromise the texture but I am sure you could do it. I use low fat buttermilk (2%), so it’s really not the worst offender in this recipe. I always worry that soy milk will alter the flavor but it might work here because there are a lot of spices going on. You can definitely reduce the sugar…there is a lot of sugar. You could probably safely halve it. I would taste it before you bake it just to make sure it doesn’t need more. If you can tolerate it, try only substituting half the flour for whole wheat flour OR use whole wheat pastry flour to avoid a completely dense bread.

        1. Please do! Another reader substituted coconut oil for the canola oil in addition to reducing the sugar, and she said it worked well, so you could try that too!