Name: Pumpkin Bread With Cream Cheese Swirl
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 cup all purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice; 1 large egg; 1/4 cup sour cream; 1 cup pumpkin puree; 1/2 cup light brown sugar; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; 1 large egg; 4 ounces cream cheese (room temp); 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Fancy a touch of creamy cheesecake magic alongside the flavoursome spices of fall? This pumpkin bread with cream cheese swirl is the answer!

An easy and deliciously moist pumpkin bread (with sour cream) sandwiches a heavenly cream cheese layer taking this classic bake to the next level!

Perfect for a Halloween get-together, decadent breakfast or delicious edible gift to celebrate the season.

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread Recipe

Irresistibly soft & fluffy texture – made with sour cream, this is a deliciously moist pumpkin cream cheese bread with a springy crumb

Surprise cheesecake filling – the pumpkin bread sandwiches a light and airy cream cheese layer that practically melts in your mouth. It’s like having cheesecake baked right into your bread!

Full of the flavours of fall – pumpkin spice adds a lovely depth of flavor.

Effortless to make – with no butter to cream and no fancy equipment, this recipe is a breeze. I’ve used vegetable oil instead which keeps the bread softer. The sour cream (or yogurt, if you prefer) also guarantees an extra-tender, bouncy pumpkin cream cheese swirl bread.

Pumpkin as a moisture booster – canned pumpkin purée isn’t just for flavor, it adds moisture, ensuring the finished bake stays light and fresh for longer.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread Ingredients

Pumpkin bread ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Cream cheese swirl ingredients

1 large egg
2 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

Substitutions & Additions

If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, sub with 2/3 tsp ground cinnamon and 1 1/3 tsp ground nutmeg plus a pinch of ground ginger and ground cloves
Sub the oil for melted unsalted butter if you prefer
Sub sour cream for Greek yogurt if you need to, although this may change the flavor a little
Make this pumpkin loaf with cream cheese swirl gluten free by subbing with your favorite gluten free all purpose flour
Add a crumb topping (brown sugar, butter, flour, and cinnamon) for texture.
Swirl the cream cheese for a marbled effect.
Chocolate and pumpkin is a divine combo, so try adding a handful of chocolate chips, add chopped pecans for a little crunch or for a citrusy zing to your cream cheese swirl pumpkin bread, add some orange zest

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread + feature image

More seasonal treats waiting for you here

How To Make Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 cup all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

In another bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, 1 large egg, and vanilla extract.

Add the flour mixture, mixing until combined.

Add 2/3 of the batter to your loaf pan.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the room temperature cream cheese, 2 1/2 tablespoons of all purpose flour, 1 large egg, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar.

(An electric hand mixer will make light work of this, but it’s not too tricky by hand.)

Add this on top of the batter you added to the loaf pan, carefully smoothing out into an even layer.

Add the remaining pumpkin batter over top of the cream cheese mixture, making sure to cover the cream cheese completely.

Bake for 45- 55 minutes until cooked. Check the pumpkin bread is done with the toothpick test: insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the bread, if done it should come out without any wet batter.

NB: the cream cheese layer may give you a false negative, so be sure that any wetness is from the cake batter, before baking for longer.

If needed, you can loosely cover the bread with foil for the last 15 minutes to avoid the top browning too much.

Although warm pumpkin bread with cream cheese filling sounds tempting, it needs time to set. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully. This helps the filling to firm up.

Top Tips for Baking Pumpkin Cheesecake Bread

Don’t be tempted to use pumpkin pie filling

Pumpkin pie filling may be pre-spiced but it’s also sweetened and often thickened so this pumpkin bread recipe simply wouldn’t without significant adaptation.

There may also be nasty additives in the pie filling so 100% pure pumpkin purée is the way to go.

Don’t overmix the Batter

Mix just until the flour is incorporated – a few lumps of streaks for flour are fine. Overmixing may result in a tough pumpkin.

Make sure the cream cheese is allowed to reach at room temperature

Softened cream cheese ensures a lusciously smooth filling. If you use cold cream cheese, your cream cheese filling may be lumpy.

Storage Instructions for Pumpkin Bread With Cream Cheese Swirl

To keep your pumpkin bread with cream cheese fresh and moist, follow these simple storage tips:

In the Fridge

Store leftover pumpkin cream cheese loaf, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or foil, in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. This pumpkin bread should not be stored at room temperature for any extended time due to the cream cheese filling which can spoil.

Freezing

Wrap the cream cheese pumpkin bread tightly in plastic wrap or foil, then place it in a freezer bag. It’ll keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the pumpkin and cream cheese bread in the fridge and serve it chilled or allow it to sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Halloween fun’s just getting started—check these out: