Name: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cup granulated sugar; 1 cup canned pumpkin purée (canned); ½ cup canola oil (or other neutral tasting oil); ⅓ cup water; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 8 ounces block-style cream cheese (softened); ¼ cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg yolk; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

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This Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread is the perfect fall treat! It’s moist and soft, infused with just the right amount of pumpkin spice flavor, and swirled with a creamy, tangy, and sweet cream cheese filling.

Side view of a loaf of pumpkin cream cheese bread.

Easy Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Filling

This pumpkin cheesecake bread is the best pumpkin bread recipe! It’s full of pumpkin flavor, so simple to make, and perfect for a snack, sweet breakfast, or even dessert.

All you do to make this mouthwatering pumpkin cheesecake bread is mix up the batter, whip up a simple cream cheese filling, swirl them together in a prepared loaf pan, and bake!

This fall favorite yields the perfect loaf of pumpkin bread with the perfect amount of spice. It’s a treat that the whole family will love!

How to Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Check out the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full instructions!

This homemade pumpkin bread takes no more than 15 minutes to prep. Here is a quick summary of the recipe.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, water, eggs, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined, then set aside.

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla.
Spoon half of the pumpkin mixture into loaf pan greased with cooking spray, smooth it into an even layer, then scoop half of the cream cheese mixture over the batter.

Cream cheese filling spread over pumpkin bread batter.

Use a butter knife to swirl the cream cheese mix into the batter, then repeat with the remaining pumpkin batter and filling.
Bake the pumpkin bread at 350ºF in a preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, then remove from the oven. Cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream cheese dotted over pumpkin bread batter.

Tips and Notes

Don’t over-mix the batter. Mixing too much can cause the texture of the bread to be tough and dry. Mix only until just combined for the best texture.
Bake immediately after mixing. Once the batter is mixed, it is best to bake the bread right away. The leavening agents in the batter don’t hold up well, so the faster you can get the pumpkin bread batter in the oven, the better.
Use a metal loaf pan. If all you have is a glass pan, then lower the oven temperature to 325ºF and increase the cooking time slightly.
If the bread is browning too quickly on top before it’s cooked through, make a foil tent and drape it over the top of the pan.
Remember that cook times vary. The baking time can vary by oven, geographical location, and even baking pan. This bread has a fair amount of moisture, especially in center and cheesecake layers.
Check for doneness. Ensure that the bread portion of the pumpkin loaf is cooked by inserting a knife, skewer, or toothpick into the center. It should come out clean with no moist crumbs attached. There may be some of the cream cheese mixture. That’s fine!
Cool completely before slicing. The bread needs time to firm up. If you slice into it too soon, you’ll end up with a much messier slice.
Add mix-ins. If you want some extra texture, you can try adding mix-ins such as chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or chopped walnuts or pecans. Use sparingly and with caution, because these may interfere with how the cream cheese filling bakes.

Storage

Because of the swirl of cream cheese, this quick bread must be stored in the refrigerator. It will last in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Two pieces of pumpkin bread with cream cheese.

How Do You Keep Pumpkin Bread from Getting Soggy on the Bottom?

As the bread sits, it has a tendency to get a little bit soggy on the bottom.

To prevent this, I recommend placing a folded paper towel on the bottom of the storage container, then placing the bread on top of that. This will help soak up some of that excess moisture!

What Type of Pumpkin is Best for Bread?

The best type of pumpkin to use for pumpkin bread is canned pumpkin puree. If you have a recipe for pumpkin puree that you like to use, that will work too!

Be sure that you are using puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree is just pumpkin.

Pumpkin pie filling has added sweetener and other ingredients.

Why Did My Pumpkin Bread Come Out Gummy?

If your pumpkin bread tends to be gummy, then you’re either over-mixing or under-baking.

To ensure this doesn’t happen, mix the batter only until just combined and no more.

Additionally, make sure that a toothpick or skewer comes out of the loaf clean before taking the bread out of the oven.

What Happens if You Put Too Much Butter in Pumpkin Bread?

Too much butter in sweet breads can weigh down the loaf and result in a dense, heavy texture. That is exactly why I prefer to use oil in this recipe!

The oil adds moisture without weighing down the bread too much. The result is moist, tender pumpkin bread with a lighter, fluffier crumb.

More Pumpkin Treats to Try

Looking for more delicious pumpkin recipes to enjoy this pumpkin season? Here are a few more favorites!

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