Description

A moist, dense, and deeply spiced pumpkin bread featuring a rich, tangy cream cheese swirl. This easy one-bowl recipe is perfect for fall baking, gifting, or weekend mornings.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (245g) pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
4 oz (115g) cream cheese, full-fat brick-style, softened
2 tablespoons (28g) butter, softened
¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk (optional, if swirl is too thick)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans with butter or non-stick spray, dust with flour, and line bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and pumpkin puree until smooth and well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt to ensure no clumps remain.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Gently fold them together with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add a teaspoon of milk if the mixture is too thick.
Pour half of the pumpkin batter into each prepared loaf pan. Drop teaspoon-sized dollops of the cream cheese mixture over the batter.
Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the cream cheese into the batter to create ribbons. Avoid over-swirling.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Let the bread cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Do not overmix the batter to avoid a tough texture. Ensure ingredients are at room temperature for better mixing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. If using dark metal pans, reduce oven temperature by 25°F.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 of the
Calories: 280
Sugar: 22
Sodium: 250
Fat: 15
Saturated Fat: 4
Carbohydrates: 35
Fiber: 2
Protein: 4

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