What’s better than a loaf of pumpkin bread in the fall?? Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread! This is pumpkin bread like you’ve never had before. Just the right amount of sweet, with a perfect moist crumb, not too heavy, not too light. It’s simply heavenly, my friends!

I’m a HUGE (yes all caps HUGE) fan of pumpkin bread. There is nothing I love more on a fall day than a loaf of pumpkin bread baking in the oven. This pumpkin bread is extra special. Think bakery loaf, but more tender and tasty than anything you’ve ever bought in a bakery!

I always loved banana bread growing up, (although my mom’s banana bread was really hit and miss). One time it was moist and delicious, the next time it was a little dry. I learned a trick from Grant about “dressing” banana bread by spreading on a thick layer of butter on top! We never ate butter when I was growing up, so this was news to me! 

One thing is for sure. Our Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread is alwaysalwaysalways moist and doesn’t need butter on top, to save it from being dry! This is my favorite sweet bread for serving at a fall or holiday brunch because the cream cheese dresses it up just enough, without making it over the top sweet.

I highly recommend using Philadelphia Cream Cheese when making Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread. Philly cream cheese blends smoothly and creates a beautiful ribbon of cream cheese filling in this recipe. I also insist on using Libby’s brand pumpkin. I’ve tried other brands and found that Libby’s is best in texture, flavor and color.

The ribbon of cream cheese is made with cream cheese, sugar, egg, flour and vanilla.

If you are looking for a gluten-free treat, this recipe is going to be your new best friend! The moisture in the pumpkin works well with gluten-free flour. I recommend using either Cup 4 Cup or Bob’s Red Mill GF flour.

Once you bake a loaf of our Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread, you’ll wonder where it’s been all of your life! This combination of moist pumpkin bread with a rich cream cheese ribbon in the bread will instantly win you over!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

5 from 5 votes
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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
Author: Si Foster
Course: Breakfast, brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10
Cream cheese combined with classic pumpkin bread ingredients to make a bakery-style pumpkin cream cheese bread!

Ingredients 

  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, I use light, but dark works as well
  • 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil, coconut oil may also be used see recipe notes
  • 1 cup pumpkin (see recipe notes)
  • 3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

cream cheese filling

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Prepare pan:

  • Generously grease and line a 1 lb loaf pan (8.5×4.5 inches) and place rack in middle of oven. If your oven cooks on the hot side, lower the rack one level. Preheat oven to 325 degrees at least 15 minutes before baking.

Prepare cream cheese filling:

  • Mix together room temperature cream cheese, egg, 5 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla with a whisk, fork or beaters. Mix just until all ingredients are incorporated and smooth. Do not beat on high speed. Do not over mix. Set aside.

Prepare pumpkin bread:

  • Beat eggs and sugars together in a large mixing bowl. Add oil to the egg and sugar mixture. Mix well.
  • Add pumpkin, Greek yogurt or sour cream and mix again until smooth. 
  • Add all dry ingredients to the bowl. Mix together just until the flour disappears. Do not over mix! 
  • Pour 3/4 of the batter into greased and lined loaf pan. Carefully spread the cream cheese filling over top of batter in the pan. Spread the remaining 1/4 of pumpkin batter on top.
  • Bake at 325 for about 60-65 minutes or until the top springs back when touched lightly. See recipe notes for testing doneness. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing loaf from pan. Let cool completely before slicing.

Notes

  • I highly recommend Libby’s brand pumpkin.  I have tried several different brands in the past and have found Libby’s to be the most consistent with texture, taste and color. Make sure to purchase pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling (which is a mixture of ingredients for ready-to-make pie). This recipe calls for one cup, not one can. 
  • If you live in a humid environment (tropical, usually above 60-70 percent humidity)  reduce the egg by one tablespoon, and add 3 tablespoons all purpose flour to the batter. You may also need to increase bake time. 
  • Coconut oil may be used in place of canola or vegetable oil. It is not necessary to melt the coconut oil, just mix in with the other wet ingredients. Coconut oil will give the bread a slight coconut aroma. 
  • I use a mixer for the wet ingredients, and mix the dry ingredients in by hand using a large spatula. 
  • This recipe fills the pan a bit more than 3/4 full. I highly recommend the 1 pound USA Bakewear pan for this recipe.  Two smaller pans may also be used, with the batters divided evenly. Do not fill a pan smaller than 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75  with the full recipe. 
  • To line the loaf pan, place the pan on a sheet of parchment paper, use a pen to outline the bottom of the pan, cut the parchment and place in bottom of pan. Spray   on top of parchment as well as around sides of the pan. 
  • If the loaf browns too quickly on top, loosely cover with foil until done. 

Equipment

  • 1 1 lb heavy loaf pan (8.5×4.5) or two smaller pans
  • parchment paper

Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. I’d love to see a photo, tag @abountifulkitchen on Instagram!