Cream Cheese-Filled Pumpkin Bread
I adapted my Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread recipe by swapping pumpkin puree for bananas, added warming spices, and it worked beautifully. The bread is soft, moist, springy, dense yet still fluffy, and it is nicely spiced. The cream cheese layer that runs through the bread is like having a layer of cheesecake baked into pumpkin bread. Sour cream (or Greek yogurt) ensures a soft, springy, bouncy, fluffy loaf and anything baked with pumpkin has the natural advantage of being moister. Between the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, tangy cream cheese, and the moist, soft bread with rich pumpkin flavor, it's perfect comfort food.
I adapted my Cream Cheese-Filled Banana Bread recipe by swapping pumpkin puree for bananas, added warming spices, and it worked beautifully. The bread is soft, moist, springy, dense yet still fluffy, and it is nicely spiced. The cream cheese layer that runs through the bread is like having a layer of cheesecake baked into pumpkin bread. Sour cream (or Greek yogurt) ensures a soft, springy, bouncy, fluffy loaf and anything baked with pumpkin has the natural advantage of being moister. Between the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, tangy cream cheese, and the moist, soft bread with rich pumpkin flavor, it's perfect comfort food.
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsps cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar repl. packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar repl
- 1/4 cup coconut oil liquid state
- 1/4 cup sour cream greek yogurt ok
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 tsps pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg ground
- pinch salt optional, to taste
- cream cheese filling
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar repl
- Carbohydrate 20.7301358738027 g
- Cholesterol 56.4556651654218 mg
- Fat 11.0715595505576 g
- Fiber 2.95915062151063 g
- Protein 3.91245734980856 g
- Saturated Fat 7.60170358810541 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (90g)
- Sodium 3536.47092601156 mg
- Sugar 17.7709852522921 g
- Trans Fat 1.14260074580109 g
- Calories 194 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Spray one 9x5-inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
- Bread - In a large bowl, add the the first ten ingredients, through ground nutmeg, and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, optional salt, and fold with spatula or stir gently with a spoon until just combined; don't overmix; set aside.
- Turn about two-thirds of the batter out into the prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary; set aside.
- Cream Cheese Filling - In a large bowl, add all ingredients and whisk to combine. Alternatively, mix with a hand mixer.
- Evenly pour filling mixture over the bread, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary.
- Top filling with remaining pumpkin batter, smoothing the top very lightly with a spatula as to not disturb cream cheese layer and pushing batter into corners and sides as necessary.
- Bake for about 48 minutes or until the top is domed, golden, and the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Note this is tricky because the cream cheese never gets totally solid so the toothpick test isn't the most accurate. Tip - Tent the pan with a sheet of foil draped over it at the 35 minute-mark if you feel the tops and sides will become too browned before center cooks through. Baking times will vary based on moisture content of bananas, cream cheese, climate, and oven variances. Bake until done; watch your bread, not the clock.
- Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Optionally, serve with Honey Butter, Cinnamon-Sugar Butter, or Vanilla Browned Butter Glaze. Bread will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Evaluating Doneness Without a Thermometer
Testing this loaf with a wooden skewer presents a distinct challenge due to the central dairy layer, which remains soft even when the surrounding crumb is fully baked. Inserting the probe at a slight angle near the edge helps differentiate between wet batter and set cream cheese. A clean extraction with few moist crumbs indicates the starch has gelatinized fully at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Tent the top with aluminum foil at the 35-minute mark if the surface darkens prematurely before the interior sets.- Let the loaf rest undisturbed in the pan for 15 minutes to allow the interior structure to firm up before inversion.
- Store the cooled loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or freeze slices for up to six months.
