This easy pumpkin banana bread is unbelievably soft and moist, filled with ripe bananas and the cozy flavor and spice of homemade pumpkin bread. It’s the perfect mash-up of two of my favorite fall recipes.

For more easy baking ideas for a fall afternoon, see my cinnamon apple bread and this decadent pumpkin cream cheese bread swirled with sweet cream cheese filling. You’ll also want to try these pumpkin muffins!

Front view of a loaf of pumpkin banana bread cut into slices.

Easy Pumpkin Banana Bread

This is a combination of two of my absolute favorite quick bread recipes, this fan-favorite banana bread and my easy pumpkin bread. I had no idea this would be so good. It has the texture of my homemade banana bread, which is already incredible, with the flavor and spice of pumpkin bread. It is soft and extra moist, perfect for fall baking!

Why I Love This Recipe

Two favorites in one. I love baking pumpkin bread in the fall, and there’s nothing like the moist, tender texture of freshly baked banana bread (it’s a reader favorite). I set out to combine the two into a soft, flavorful, spiced loaf. This recipe delivers!
No mixer. Don’t get me wrong, I love my stand mixer. But banana bread is one of those no-fuss recipes where all you need is a spoon or spatula to mix the batter.
Great for everyday baking. Especially in the fall! I’m a big fan of quick bread recipes. I can have treats like this pumpkin banana bread loaf ready for the oven in just a few minutes. There’s no yeast or rising time, so it’s ready to enjoy with a cup of coffee in a little over an hour.

Ingredient Notes

These are some quick notes on the important ingredients in this soft and moist pumpkin banana bread. Most of what you’ll need are pantry staples. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for a complete list with recipe details.

Mashed Bananas – The best bananas for banana bread are overripe ones since they’ll have the most flavor and sweetness. The spottier, the better!
Oil and Butter – I use a combination of vegetable oil (like canola oil) and melted butter (salted or unsalted). The oil makes this quick bread extra tender.
Brown Sugar – You can substitute white granulated sugar if needed.
Pumpkin Puree – Make sure you’re using 100% canned pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. They look similar on grocery store shelves, but they’re not the same product.
Spices – I like to boost the fall flavors in this banana bread recipe with cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. You can also use a blend of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves.

Mash first, then measure- My Most Important Tip for Bananas

Instead of telling you how many bananas you need, I provide the measurement in cups. Bananas come in so many different sizes. Mash the bannaas first then make sure to measure the bananas properly for consistent results. More or less banana in the recipe will affect the baking time and overall texture. Over measuring can also lead to the bread underbaking and sinking.

Pumpkin banana bread ingredients with text labels overlaying each ingredient.

How to Make Pumpkin Banana Bread

Quick bread recipes are very forgiving, so just like traditional banana bread, this pumpkin version is great for beginners! Here’s what you can expect. You’ll find the printable instructions in the recipe card after the post.

Mix the wet ingredients. Mash up your bananas and then combine them with the oil, butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Once that’s mixed, cream in the sugar. Finally, stir in the pumpkin puree.
Add the dry ingredients. Sift the dry ingredients into a separate bowl first, and then add them to the batter. I mix with a handmixer until the flour is roughly incorporated and then I use a spatula to finish it off. Be careful not to overmix.
Bake. Pour the bread batter into a greased and lined loaf pan. Bake at 350ºF for 60-70 minutes. Afterward, let the loaf cool for at least an hour or two before serving. I think it gets better the more it cools.

Wet ingredients combined in a glass mixing bowl. — Mix the wet ingredients.

Pumpkin banana bread batter in a glass mixing bowl. — Mix the wet ingredients.

Why Did My Pumpkin Bread Turn Out Dry?

There are a couple of reasons why your pumpkin banana bread turned out drier than expected. It could be that you over-measured the flour. This is the number one cause of dry quick breads/cakes/muffins/etc! The best way to ensure accurate measurements is to go by weight, using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a scale, your next best bet for measuring flour correctly is to spoon the flour from the bag into the measuring cup (don’t scoop straight from the bag), and level off the flour with a knife. Check out my tutorial on how to measure flour for details.

You’ll also want to pay attention to the baking time, especially around the 60 minute mark. This is a large bread, so you’ll likely need additional time, up to 10 or so minutes. However, you’ll want to use a knife or toothpick to check the middle. The toothpick should be clean when pulled out of the bread. Underbaked bread will sink and can be gummy. Alternatively, over-baking the bread can also cause dryness.

Overhead view of a loaf of pumpkin banana bread cut into slices.

Recipe Tips and Variations

Use extra ripe bananas. The riper, the better! Overripe bananas give the bread more flavor. It’s the best excuse to use up bananas that are past their prime!
Test the bread for doneness. Stick a toothpick into a few spots on the banana bread, and if it comes out clean, it’s done. I usually check the bread at around 60 minutes and go from there.
If you need to ripen bananas quickly, place the bananas into a brown paper bag and seal the bag loosely. Leave the bananas in the bag at room temperature for a couple of day, and they’ll ripen right up.
Add nuts. Add chopped raw or toasted pecans or walnuts to the batter for extra crunch.
Add chocolate chips. Borrow inspiration from my chocolate chip banana bread and stir semi-sweet, dark, or milk chocolate chips into the batter. White chocolate chips or butterscotch morsels would also be delicious.

Front view of a loaf of pumpkin banana bread with slices cut from the end.

How to Store

At room temperature. Store this pumpkin banana bread airtight on the counter for 3-4 days. I actually find that it tastes even better the next day!
Freeze. Let the loaf cool completely and then double-wrap it with plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil. Freeze the bread for up to 3 months, and thaw at room temperature.

Pumpkin Banana Bread