This pumpkin cream cheese bread is fluffy and soft without being soggy! Also loaded with warming fall spices, and a light cream cheese! One of my favorite fall bakes and it’s perfect for breakfast or anytime of the day!

If pumpkin bread and cheesecake got married and had a baby, it would be this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread! This quick bread is made with pumpkin puree, full or warming fall spices, and filled with a light vanilla cream cheese that takes this pumpkin bread to the next level! This is definitely one of the best fall treats!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe >

Ingredients Needed & Notes >

Equipment You’ll Need >

Step By Step Instructions >

Baking Tips >

Serving & Storage >

Recipe Card >

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE BREAD

Full of cozy flavors! You’ll definitely want to cozy up on the couch with a cup of coffee and a thick slice (or two) of this pumpkin cream cheese pumpkin bread.
The texture is super light and moist.
This pumpkin cream cheese bread is so good for breakfast, snacks, or dessert!
The flavor combination of cream cheese, pumpkin, and spices makes you want to go back for more and more!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED & NOTES

Flour – No need for fancy flour, just all-purpose flour to make this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread!

Leavening agent – You’ll need baking powder and baking soda to make this recipe.

Spices – This recipe uses ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.

Salt – This will do the job of balancing the sweet flavor.

Vanilla – Some teaspoons of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor.

Oil – I use canola oil. It’s a neutral-tasting oil, so it allows the flavor of your bread to shine through. If you don’t have canola oil, vegetable oil works too!

Sugar – This recipe uses 2 types of sugar, granulated sugar and brown sugar. I use light brown sugar, but you can use either light or dark brown sugar.

Egg – You’ll need 3 eggs for this recipe. 2 eggs for the pumpkin batter and 1 egg for the cream cheese. Check your egg size. Make sure they’re large eggs.

Caramel sauce – You can use homemade or store-bought salted caramel. I definitely make my own salted caramel. Check this post if you want to make your own salted caramel!

Sour cream – This adds moisture to your bread without thinning your batter. It also enhances the flavor and makes your bread tender and rich.

Cream cheese -Make sure you use original block (full-fat) cream cheese, not cream cheese spread.

Pumpkin puree – I use homemade butternut pumpkin pure. You can use your favorite pumpkin to make this cake. Canned pumpkin puree works too! If you use canned pumpkin pure, make sure not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree is just plain pumpkin without spices added.

Pumpkin seeds – This is totally optional. I use pumpkin seeds for topping.

EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED

Electric mixer (stand mixer or hand-held mixer)
Medium mixing bowl
Rubber spatula
9×5-inch loaf pan

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

(Be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions)

STEP 1 – Prepare the oven and loaf pan

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray, or grease with butter. Let the excess hang over the sides to form a sling so you can easily lift the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread from the loaf pan.

STEP 2 – Make the Cream Cheese Filling

Make sure your cream cheese is soft at room temperature.
In a medium bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-low speed until soft. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, then mix just until combined. Don’t overwork the mixture.

STEP 3 – Make the Pumpkin Batter

Blot out the moisture of your pumpkin puree to avoid too much moisture in the batter. Place 3 paper towels on a plate and add in the pumpkin puree. Let the moisture soak into the paper towels for about 30 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt together until well combined. Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl using a handheld mixer, beat together egg, sugar, and oil on medium speed for about 3 minutes until well combined. Then, reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and slowly add the pumpkin puree, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix everything until just combined.

Fold in the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula or on a low-speed mixer until no more flour is visible. Don’t overwork the batter!

STEP 4 – Assemble and Bake the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Pour 3/4 of the pumpkin batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread into an even layer, then spoon the cream cheese mixture over the top of the pumpkin layer and spread evenly. Spread the remaining pumpkin batter on top and sprinkle with roasted pumpkin seeds.

Bake at 350F for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Then, allow the bread to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before removing and slicing.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE BREAD

Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Room-temperature ingredients blend easily and incorporate together to create a smooth batter without chunks of cold butter or flecks of eggs.
Use the unsweetened 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Blot out the moisture out of your pumpkin puree to avoid too much moisture in the filling. Place 3 paper towels on a plate and add in the pumpkin puree. Let the moisture soak into the paper towels.
Keep your eyes on the cake while baking. Think of baking times just as suggestions, because every oven is different! The temperature can vary greatly, even when you set it to the same temperature as in the recipe.
Measure flour correctly. When measuring the flour with cups, make sure to spoon and level the flour into your measuring cup. Do not scoop and pack the flour. By doing this, you will yield too much flour and make the dough dry. A kitchen scale is the best option, it’s so much more accurate than cup measurements, that’s why I always write the recipe with grams. 1 cup flour = 125 grams.

HOW TO SERVE AND STORE

I highly recommend enjoying this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread warm, fresh from the oven, or on the same day you bake it. It has the best texture and flavor on the first day.

If you want to keep it for later, place the bread in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 days or up to 5 days if refrigerated.

You can also freeze it. Wrap the leftover bread in a layer of plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer-safe container or a zip-top bag. It will last for up to 2 months in the freezer.