When fall comes around, I love a good pumpkin bread.A TikTok video taught me I could make it with just spice cake mix and pumpkin purée.I tried it out and while it was quick and easy, I thought it needed more flavor.
When the fall season hits, with cozy flannels and changing leaves, I know it's time to break out my favorite bread pan and make something with nutmeg and pumpkin.
Pumpkin bread has always been a favorite of mine, especially during this season, so I was excited when I came across a pumpkin-bread recipe that contains just two ingredients.
The recipe — which I first saw on @brunchwithbabs' TikTok and confirmed on The Slow Roasted Italian — calls for just one box of spice cake mix and one 15-ounce can of 100% pumpkin purée.
"This is the pumpkin bread you make when you have no time but have a taste for pumpkin," TikToker Babs says in her video, which was posted in 2022. "It's simple, it's vegan, and it's delicious."
Did it live up to the hype? Almost.
Here's how I made it.
To make this "recipe," I needed spice cake mix and pumpkin purée.
Spice Cake Mix and Pumpkin Purée.
Melissa Wells/Business Insider
I bought a 15.25-ounce box of Duncan Hines mix and a 15-ounce can of Kroger's 100% pure pumpkin purée, which cost me a total of $6.79.
Other brands, such as Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, and Walmart's Great Value, also sell spice cake mix.
I mixed the two ingredients in a bowl.
Spice cake mix and pumpkin purée in the bowl.
Melissa Wells/Business Insider
I poured the full bag of spice cake mix into a large bowl then scooped out all 15 ounces of pumpkin purée and added that too.
It created a thick mixture that smelled of fall.
Spice cake mix and pumpkin purée mixed together in the bowl.
Melissa Wells/Business Insider
After I folded the two ingredients together, an aroma of clove and nutmeg filled my kitchen — and I hadn't even put anything in the oven yet.
When it came to baking the cake, I did need one extra ingredient.
Bread pan and olive oil spray.
Melissa Wells/Business Insider
I used baking spray I already had in my kitchen to prep my favorite bread pan.
I transferred the mixture into the bread pan.
Pumpkin bread mixture in the bread pan.
Melissa Wells/Business Insider
Using a spatula, I spread the vibrant orange mixture in the pan so it was even on top.
I baked the pumpkin bread at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.
Oven set at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Melissa Wells/Business Insider
My house was filled with the delicious scent of pumpkin and clove.
Finally, it was time for a taste test.
Pumpkin bread.
Melissa Wells/Business Insider
The cake was even more moist than my favorite Starbucks pumpkin bread, and one slice was just a fraction of the cost. The loaf also smelled just as enticing.
However, I thought the taste of the spices was lacking, especially considering it was a "spice cake" mix. Next time, I might add a dash more cinnamon, clove, or even pumpkin-spice mix.
There's no denying how easy it was to make this tasty snack.
Finished pumpkin bread.
Melissa Wells/Business Insider
While this probably won't be my go-to recipe when I'm looking for a treat that evokes the coziness of fall, there's no denying how easy it was. I would definitely make it again when I'm looking for a quick, warming snack.
Editor's note: This story was originally published in November 2023 and was updated in September 2025.
