As the weather turns cooler and October approaches, I definitely get the itch to bake more. There is just something about the drop in temperature that makes me want to turn on my oven and get to baking! If you love seasonal baking like I do, then you must try this pumpkin cream cheese bread.
Rather than having a frosting or glaze, this pumpkin bread features a line of cream cheese baked down the middle. It adds the perfect hint of sweetness to the spicy bread.
ingredients
for the bread
1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and returned to room temperature
1/2 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree (approx 3/4 cup plus 1/8 cup)
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
for the cream cheese filling
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/6 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 egg (beat slightly, then divide)
directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour a 9x5 bread pan.
2. Melt the 1/2 cup butter and set aside to allow to return to room temperature.
3. To prepare the cream cheese filling, using a hand mixer, in a small bowl beat the room temperature cream cheese until smooth.
4. Add sugar, vanilla and egg to the cream cheese. Beat just until smooth. Set aside for later use.
5. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Whisk until evenly combined.
6. To the flour mixture, add the chopped nuts and stir until evenly distributed.
7. In a second large bowl, whisk the eggs until beaten.
8. To the eggs, add sugar, melted butter and pumpkin. Stir just until combined.
9. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
10. Divide batter in half and spread half the batter into bread pan.
11. Pour the cream cheese filling over the batter and ensure it covers evenly, taking care not to mix the cream cheese into the batter.
12. Top with the remaining batter, taking care not to mix the batter into the cream cheese layer. This can be done by carefully placing dollops of batter onto the cream cheese layer using two tablespoons.
13. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
14. Place pan on wire cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and serve warm or allow to cool on cooling rack.
hugs, sharyn
