This no-fuss recipe makes an amazingly soft and spongy pumpkin bread with a sweet swirl of cream cheese in the middle. Perfect for fall baking and holidays!

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Pumpkin bread with a layer of cream cheese filling

About Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread

The cooler months are the best time to whip up some baked comfort foods, and this cream cheese pumpkin bread goes perfectly with crisp evenings and autumn leaves.

Because with sweet and mellow pumpkin in a moist and spongy homemade bread, wrapped around a sweet layer of cream cheese, this bread is everything that holiday baking should be.

Pumpkin bread with cream cheese filling.

How long does homemade bread last?

When stored in the refrigerator (due to the cream cheese layer) in a sealed container or covered in plastic wrap, this bread should remain good for up to six days. And like most homemade breads, the flavor of this loaf will intensify after two days.

Can pumpkin bread be frozen?

Yes, it totally can!

When stored in an airtight container or freezer bag, this pumpkin bread will keep its “best” quality for about two or three months. After that point, the texture of the bread might change, but it will remain good for up to six months frozen.

Can you swirl the cream cheese layer?

Absolutely! Just use a knife to gently drag and bob through the batter (careful not to scrape the sides or bottom!) once all the layers are assembled.

Pumpkin bread with cream cheese swirl.

Notes & tips for this pumpkin bread recipe

  • This recipe has changed over the years, primarily because I learned how to properly measure flour. I know it doesn’t seem like much, but it can make a huge difference! You can read more about how to measure flour (and other common ingredients) here: Measuring 101.

More great pumpkin recipes

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How to make pumpkin cream cheese loaf

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and egg until smooth and creamy. Set this bowl aside for now.

Step 2 – In another large bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Step 3 – In (yet another!) large bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, vanilla extract, and egg until nice and smooth.

Step 4 – Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the pumpkin mixture, then use a spatula to fold them together until combined.

Step 5 – Spray a 9×5 bread loaf pan with cooking spray, then scoop in about 1/2 of the pumpkin batter. Use a spatula to spread it into an even layer. Next, pour in all of the cream cheese mixture on top of the pumpkin, smoothing out this layer as well. Finish off by adding the remaining 1/2 of the pumpkin batter on top of the cream cheese. Use a spatula to make the top nice and even.

Step 6 – Bake!

Step 7 – Let cool, then cut and enjoy!

Recipe Details

Pumpkin bread with a layer of cream cheese filling
4.63 from 45 votes

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread

25 minutes prep + 1 hour cook
450 kcal
Yields: 8 slices
This no-fuss recipe makes an amazingly soft and spongy pumpkin bread with a sweet swirl of cream cheese in the middle. Perfect for fall baking and holidays!

Ingredients 

Cream Cheese Filling
Pumpkin Bread

Instructions

For the Cream Cheese Filling
  • In a large bowlwhisk together cream cheese, sugar, flour, and egg until smooth. Consistency should be thick; when you raise the whisk, none of the cream cheese mixture should easily drip off. If it does, add another 1 tablespoon of flour and mix well. Set bowl aside.
    8 ounce cream cheese, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 large egg
For the Pumpkin Bread
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×5 bread loaf pan with baking spray, then set aside.
  • In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined. Set bowl aside.
    1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 pinch salt
  • In another large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, brown sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, vanilla extract, and egg until smooth.
    1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 large egg
  • Pour the dry ingredients in with the wet, using a spatula to gently toss and stir, being sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Mix until just combined and dry ingredients are no longer visible. Do not overmix.
Putting it all Together
  • Pour 1/2 of the pumpkin batter into the prepared bread pan, pushing batter into corners and smoothing with a spatula.
  • Pour the cream cheese filling into the pan, smoothing out the filing with a spatula. Do not worry about pressing into corners.
  • Pour the remaining pumpkin batter on top of the filling and gently pull & spread to cover the sides and corners, careful not to disturb the cream cheese layer beneath. Be sure pumpkin layer completely covers the cream cheese layer.
  • Bake bread for 50-65 minutes or until a toothpick tester comes out clean. To ensure bread is fully baked, check the bread in multiple spots.
  • Let baked cream cheese pumpkin bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 211mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 5260IU | Vitamin C: 1.5mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2.3mg

I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.

Author: Chrisy

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Recipe Rating




19 comments

    • Amber
    • 5 stars

    Hi can I make this recipe without the cream cheese ? So it’s just pumpkin bread ?

    • Hey Amber! Sure, you can totally make this without the cream cheese filling. The only suggestion I have would be to start doing toothpick tests on the bread earlier in the baking time window – closer to 50 minutes – to ensure it doesn’t bake faster than expected.

    • Elizabeth Popa

    I made this bread already 2 times, and my family and I love it! I experimented with adding chocolate chips instead of doing the cream cheese in the middle and then heavily sprinkled powdered sugar on top. Overall this recipe is simple and delicious!!

    • Betty
    • 5 stars

    Made this today and it’s absolutely yummy!

    • Patti
    • 5 stars

    Just made this today. Gave my sister a few slices and she said I don’t like pumpkin bread. But she loved this one! So did we. I made it just as listed. Doesn’t need anything else. This is a keeper recipe!

    • Thisni Caza

    The recipe says ‘serve immediately’, but then information is provided on storing in the refrigerator for up to six days, including that the flavors will intensify. Typically when recipes say ‘serve immediately’, the dish is at it’s best upon preparation, so this seems a bit contradictory to me. Just curious, as I’m planning to gift this bread.

    • Joyce

    I made a similar pumpkin bread like yours but it seemed to have additional things like nuts and dates maybe and had the cream cheese between layers. This recipe made 3 cakes. I can’t find that recipe but this one may work.

    • Gloria

    Hi,
    Would it be possible to use 1 can of pumpkin puree (15oz) and double the recipe for the batter? I think one can equals to about 2 cups. Would it be necessary to double the cream cheese filling then? Thanks!

    • Sunshine baker
    • 5 stars

    This was really good! I used 1.5 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and I swirled the cream cheese. It took over an hour to bake. I’ll definitely make this again.

    • Debbie
    • 5 stars

    Very good! Great pumpkin flavor and the cream cheese layer is wonderful…like having cheesecake in the middle of the bread. I followed the recipe exactly, and mine was done in 50 minutes

    • veronica solorio
    • 4 stars

    Hi there i plan to make this tonight!! I have a question though how much cream cheese do you use, i know it says 8oz cream cheese but in the video there seems to be more than one block?

      • Chrisy

      It’s 8 oz 😀 I think it might just look like more because of how it was cut and put in the bowl.

    • Beth
    • 5 stars

    Loved your recipe! I sprinkled some cinnamon and sugar on top before I baked it and it was yummy! Thanks for sharing!

    • Marsha | Marsha’s Baking Addiction
    • 5 stars

    I absolutely LOVE pumpkin bread, especially when it’s stuffed with a layer of cheesecake! This looks so delicious!

    • aimee @ like mother like daughter
    • 5 stars

    Pumpkin bread is one of my favorites in the fall, that cream cheese swirl sounds amazing!

      • Chrisy

      Totally agree! Thanks, Aimee 😀

        • Kathleen
        • 5 stars

        I just got two of them into the oven and cannot wait! I added walnuts to one and the other I left as is! Let you know when they’re done.

    • Jessica Williams
    • 5 stars

    LOVE this pumpkin bread- the cream cheese addition is killer! LOL at your cute doggies too. Did you at least let them taste test it?! 😉

      • Chrisy

      LOL, actually, yes, they totally had some! They ate it faster than I did 😀