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Perfect Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl

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This incredibly moist pumpkin bread features a tangy cream cheese swirl baked right in. It’s the perfect fall treat that’s quick to make and always a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for swirl)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for swirl)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the parchment and exposed pan sides.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Whisk in pumpkin puree and vanilla extract.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine.
  5. In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Add ¼ cup sugar, egg yolk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Beat until completely smooth.
  6. Pour half of the pumpkin batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Dollop the cream cheese mixture on top. Pour remaining pumpkin batter over the cream cheese and gently spread to cover.
  7. Insert a butter knife or skewer deep into the batter and swirl in a figure-eight or S-curve pattern about 5-6 times. Do not over-swirl.
  8. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If browning too quickly after 40 minutes, tent with foil.
  9. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use parchment overhang to lift bread out and transfer to wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients are crucial for best results. Do not overmix the batter. Cool completely before slicing to prevent the cream cheese swirl from squishing out. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. For a vegan version, use flax eggs and dairy-free cream cheese.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin bread, cream cheese swirl, fall baking, pumpkin recipe, easy pumpkin bread

Find it online: https://dahliadishes.com/perfect-pumpkin-bread-with-cream-cheese-swirl/