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Perfect Pumpkin Bread: Cream Cheese Swirl Recipe

pumpkin bread cream cheese swirl - featured image
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This pumpkin bread features a tangy cream cheese swirl and chocolate chips in every slice. It’s moist, spiced, and simple enough for a beginner baker, yet impressive enough to share.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups (15 oz can) pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (175g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 8 oz (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). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on sides.
  2. Make the cream cheese swirl: In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with ¼ cup sugar, 1 egg yolk, and ½ teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
  4. Sprinkle flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt over the wet mixture. Fold with a spatula until just combined (a few streaks of flour are okay).
  5. Gently fold in chocolate chips, reserving 2 tablespoons for topping.
  6. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture over batter. Pour remaining batter on top, then drop remaining cream cheese mixture in spoonfuls.
  7. Use a butter knife or skewer to gently swirl in a figure-eight pattern (a few passes only). Sprinkle reserved chocolate chips on top.
  8. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If top browns too quickly, tent with foil after 40 minutes.
  9. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then lift out using parchment and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing (at least 1 hour).

Notes

Room temperature ingredients are key for a smooth swirl. Do not overmix the batter. Let bread cool completely before slicing to avoid a gummy texture. Leftover slices can be toasted. Bread freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin bread, cream cheese swirl, chocolate chip, fall baking, quick bread, one bowl

Find it online: https://eliplate.com/perfect-pumpkin-bread-cream-cheese-swirl-recipe/