Cream cheese combined with classic pumpkin bread ingredients to make a bakery-style pumpkin cream cheese bread!
Ingredients
2largeeggs, beaten
1/2cupgranulated sugar
1/2cupbrown sugar, packed, I use light, but dark works as well
1/2cupcanola or vegetable oil, coconut oil may also be used see recipe notes
1cuppumpkin (see recipe notes)
3tablespoonsplain Greek yogurt, or sour cream
1 3/4cupsall-purpose flour
1teaspoonbaking soda
1/2teaspoonbaking powder
1teaspooncinnamon
3/4teaspoonsalt
cream cheese filling
4ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1largeegg
5tablespoonsgranulated sugar
3tablespoonsall purpose flour
1teaspoonvanilla
Instructions
Prepare pan:
Generously grease and line a 1 lb loaf pan (8.5x4.5 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.