It’s October, and I’m in Heaven. I’m one of those obnoxious Fall-lovin loud-mouths who LOVES pumpkins, who LOVES warm drinks, who LOVES bittersweet branches, who LOVES the first day I get to wear boots. I’m that girl without question.
And the split second that it feels like Fall outside, I crank out loaves of this cream cheese pumpkin bread. It’s an absolute favorite! This recipe makes two loaves – one to keep and one to give (If you can stand to let go of a loaf!) It’s dense and moist. It’s cinnamon-y and warm. It’s creamy and sweet. Oh my, delicious.
True story. I shared a bite with one of the young men who was here at my house one night leading my son’s high school bible study. He texted my husband Sam after he got home and said it was the best pumpkin bread he had ever eaten. So Sam told him to wheel around and come back for the second loaf. And that’s what he did! He turned around and came back to my house for more bread. And the next time I saw him, he said he finds himself thinking about the pumpkin bread. So that says one of two things: the pumpkin bread is FABULOUS or that fella isn’t quite right. So let’s go with the bread is FABULOUS. See for yourself. And Happy October, y’all!
Watch the cooking show episode with step-by-step instructions HERE
CREAM CHEESE PUMPKIN BREAD
Makes 2 loaves of bread
-for the pumpkin bread-
3 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 cup oil
1 15oz can cooked pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2/3 cup water
-for the cream cheese swirl-
8oz cream cheese, softened well at room temperature
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients together, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar. Add the wet ingredients and mix well. Divide into two prepared loaf pans. Mix together the cream cheese swirl ingredients until smooth. Equally spoon dollops of cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter. Then use a long toothpick or skewer to drag and swirl the cream cheese around the top of the batter. Just swirl it around, do not stir it into the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans then invert and cool completely.
CREAM CHEESE PUMPKIN BREAD
Makes 2 loaves of bread
-for the pumpkin bread-
3 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
1 cup oil
1 15oz can cooked pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2/3 cup water
-for the cream cheese swirl-
8oz cream cheese, softened well at room temperature
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients together, breaking up any clumps of brown sugar. Add the wet ingredients and mix well. Divide into two prepared loaf pans. Mix together the cream cheese swirl ingredients until smooth. Equally spoon dollops of cream cheese mixture over the pumpkin batter. Then use a long toothpick or skewer to drag and swirl the cream cheese around the top of the batter. Just swirl it around, do not stir it into the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in the pans then invert and cool completely.
