Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Use this Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread Recipe to bake a moist and tender loaf with a sweet and tangy cream cheese swirl in the middle. Made with rich earthy pumpkin, warm spices and a creamy cheesecake-like filling, this quick bread is a unique blend perfect for the autumn season.

In October, cream cheese and pumpkin are a match made in heaven, especially when they are mixed with warm baking spices. This quick bread recipe is a simpler version of my coffee shop inspired Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, while no Thanksgiving feast is complete without these Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread

Where are my pumpkin heads at?! I’m sure you’re jumping for joy as the leaves are falling and the air is cooling. Pumpkin recipes are so hot right now… so grab a can of pumpkin purée and let’s get baking!

This isn’t your ordinary quick bread… it’s a pumpkin cream cheese bread with a toothsome texture, warm baking spices (think pumpkin pie spice!) with a creamy, tangy cream cheese layer baked right into the center. It’s so delicious, it’s more like a cake than a bread.

This recipe bakes an 8 serving loaf, but you’re going to want more than one slice with your pumpkin spice latte. The recipe doubles easily and since most US cans of pumpkin purée contain 1 ¾ to 2 cups you can make a double batch. If you are Canadian, your cans are 28 ounces, so you’ll have more than enough purée to play with.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread Ingredients

For this recipe you will need medium and large mixing bowls, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, measuring spoons and cups, a whisk, a spatula, parchment paper, and a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

• Cream Cheese
• All-Purpose Flour
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Nutmeg
• Granulated Sugar
• Light Brown Sugar
• Pumpkin
• Eggs
• Vegetable Oil
• Whole Milk
• Vanilla Extract

This recipe was tested with full fat cream cheese only. If you use lower fat cream cheese or sour cream, the cheese layer may not be as distinct.

Besides the usual baking pantry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract) you’ll need eggs, whole milk, and a can of pumpkin purée.

Be sure to use 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. Feel free to buy a pie pumpkin and make homemade pumpkin puree… it’s worth it!

What is Cream Cheese?

Cream cheese is a fresh, soft, mild-tasting cheese made from a mixture of milk and cream. Unlike aged cheeses (such as Cheddar or Swiss), cream cheese is unripened, meaning it is meant to be eaten fresh shortly after it is produced.

Traditional cream cheese contains at least 33% milk fat, no more than 55% moisture, and has a mild, rich, slightly tangy, and milky flavour.

For this recipe you’ll need Block Cream Cheese (the one that’s wrapped in foil) which is denser and lower in moisture, making it ideal for baking cheesecakes and making cream cheese frosting.

How to Make Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread

To begin this Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread recipe, preheat your oven to 350 F then grease a 9×5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Next, line then pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-2 inch overhang to make a sling, set aside.

The Cream Cheese Mixture

Add the cream cheese and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle if necessary.  Next, add the egg and vanilla then mix on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

Dry and Wet Ingredients

In a medium sized bowl add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, whisk dry ingredients until mixed.

In another large bowl add the sugars, pumpkin, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla extract, whisk until combined. 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.

Fill and Bake

Pour half of the pumpkin bread batter into the prepared pan, about 2 cups. Top with the cream cheese filling to cover the entire surface then top with the remaining 2 cups of batter. 

Bake for 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Tent with foil the final 10-15 minutes of baking time to prevent excess browning, if necessary.

Remove bread from the oven, place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. To remove from pan, gently run a knife along the edge of the pan, loosening the bread if needed. Carefully lift the bread with the parchment paper sling, place on a wire rack to cool completely, 1 hour.

Slice bread using a serrated bread knife and serve.

Storage

Store Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread in an air-tight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 7.  Allow chilled bread to set at room temperature for 30 minutes before enjoying.

To freeze, wrap individual slices in a double layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil, freeze for up to 3 months.  Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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