Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
This Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread is soft, moist, and loaded with pumpkin spice flavor. Whether it’s paired with a hot cup of coffee for breakfast or a cold glass of milk for dessert, this treat is sure to hit the spot this Fall.
Looking for more pumpkin-inspired breakfast recipes? Try my Pumpkin Pancakes and Pumpkin Oat Bars!
It’s officially Fall, and you know what that means … Pumpkin season! More specifically, pumpkin spice season.
If you’re like me (and most people), you look forward to sweater weather all year long because it means you can indulge in some of the best flavors autumn has to offer, especially pumpkin. Whether you’re drinking it in a latte, eating it in a pie, or carving one for your front porch, there’s just something magical about this time of the year.
Pumpkin bread is one of my favorite things about Fall. I took it up a notch with this recipe and added a cream cheese swirl, which — paired with the pumpkin puree — resulted in the loaf coming out moist and slightly sweet with the perfect amount of spice.
This Easy Pumpkin Bread is perfect for breakfast or dessert. Enjoy!
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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling): The later will have pumpkin spice flavors added to it, which isn’t ideal because we wouldn’t be able to control the spice level of the bread this way. Opt for trusted brands like Libby’s.
- Light brown sugar: This yields a more caramel-y flavor than plain granulated sugar, but doesn’t change the color of the loaf like dark brown sugar would. Remember that you want to see an orange tone in your bread from the pumpkin puree.
- Pumpkin pie spice: It just wouldn’t be a proper pumpkin-themed breakfast or dessert recipe without this flavor element. Buy your favorite blend at the store, or make your own using this recipe.
- Softened cream cheese for the filling: Allow your cream cheese to come to room temperature before baking. If mixed cold, you’ll get clumps in the filling.
How to make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
This recipe is extremely simple, especially because it doesn’t require a mixer. Follow the steps below to make the best Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread at home:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking powder, pumpkin spice, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: In separate bowl, whisk the egg, pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, oil, vanilla, and sour cream until just combined.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients: Don’t over-mix the batter! This will made the bread dense and chewy instead of light and fluffy.
- Make the cream cheese filling: In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, egg, sugar, and flour.
- Build your bread batter: Layer two-thirds of the bread batter in a greased 9×5 loaf pan. Then, layer with the cream cheese filling, followed with the pumpkin batter on top.
- Cook the Pumpkin Bread: Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before loosening the edges with a knife, removing from the loaf pan, and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve warm with a bit of butter on top, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, or plain. (Check out my full list of topping recommendations below, including a recipe for spiced cinnamon whipped cream.)
Tips for making The Best Pumpkin Bread
- Don’t over mix the batter. This will lead to a tougher, chewier bread.
- Bring your cream cheese to room temperature before baking. If mixed cold, you’ll get clumps in the filling.
- Make sure the bread is fully cooked before taking it out of the oven. If the bread is undercooked it will sink in the middle.
- Resist the urge to slice into it right away. Let it cool completely before slicing it for optimal texture and flavor.
Toppings for Your Pumpkin Bread
- Butter
- Cinnamon sugar
- Warmed maple syrup
- Chocolate chips (mini chocolate chips, semi sweet, or even white!)
- Toasted chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Streusel topping
- This bread would be amazing with my spiced cinnamon whipped cream! To make: Simply beat 1 cup heavy cream on high in a stand mixer until soft peaks form. Then add in powdered sugar to taste (2-3 tablespoons) and a pinch of cinnamon. Feel free to stop here, but I highly recommend adding in a dash of vanilla extract and a splash of bourbon.
- Or enjoy plain!
Here are more bread recipes to enjoy!
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Bread
- Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Cranberry Orange Bread
- The BEST Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Bread
- Marble Chocolate Banana Bread
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/4 cup cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 large egg
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan with cooking spray, set aside. In a large bowl combine pumpkin, egg, brown sugar, oil, sour cream and vanilla extract.
- Fold in the pumpkin spice, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt just until just combined.
- Pour 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan.
- Meanwhile prepare the cream cheese filling by whisking all of the ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Pour the cream cheese filling on top of the batter spreading it out gently with a spatula.
- Pour the remaining batter on top carefully spreading it as well.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Averie Cooks
Originally published Sep 29, 2017
