Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

4.56 from 9 votes

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread is perfectly spiced, tender, and soft but what really sets this pumpkin bread recipe above the rest, is the rich cream cheese swirl!

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time1 5

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Loaf Pan

Ingredients

For the Pumpkin Bread

1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon iodized salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoon Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice or store-bought
2 large eggs
½ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup coconut oil, melted or canola oil
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup pumpkin puree

For the Cream Cheese Filling

4 ounces cream cheese softened
1 large egg
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃) and grease a 9-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice together over a large mixing bowl and then gently whisk to combine.
In a separate mixing bowl, mix together 2 eggs, maple syrup, oil, applesauce, and pumpkin puree until well combined.
Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and fold the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined.
Prepare the cream cheese filling, by mixing together cream cheese, vanilla extract, egg, and sugar together with a handheld mixer on medium speed until creamy and smooth.
Pour ½ of the pumpkin bread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Pour the filling on top of that. Then finish by gently dolloping the remaining bread batter onto the filling. (It is okay if it is not perfectly covered.)
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the bread in the loaf pan on a cooling rack for 10. After 10 minutes, remove the bread from the loaf pan and continue to cool to room temperature before slicing and/or storing.

Notes

Flour: Use whole wheat, white wheat, all-purpose flour, or a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.

Pumpkin Pie Spice: Replace it with ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, and a tiny pinch of ground cloves for similar results.

Pumpkin: Be sure to use 100% canned or homemade pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. If using homemade puree, you will want to strain it over a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth and then measure out 1 cup of the puree in the bread.

Cream Cheese Filling: The cream cheese filling is optional but highly encouraged. If you would like to omit the cream cheese swirl, just pour the entire Pumpkin Bread into the loaf pan and bake for the same amount of time.

Storing Pumpkin Bread: Be sure to store this pumpkin bread in the fridge once cooled in an airtight container. It will last for up to 4 days when refrigerated. It can also be frozen if wrapped well, for up to 1 month.

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