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Cozy Small-Batch Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl

pumpkin bread with cream cheese swirl - featured image
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This small-batch pumpkin bread is moist, tender, and perfectly spiced, with a tangy cream cheese swirl that makes every bite interesting. It’s the recipe that turned a pumpkin bread skeptic into a believer.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree (120g)
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil (60ml)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ¼ cup brown sugar (50g), packed
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 ounces cream cheese (113g), softened
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25g)
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, letting it hang over the long sides.
  2. Make the cream cheese swirl: In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.
  3. Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon cloves, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
  4. Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  5. Combine: Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Layer and swirl: Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Drop spoonfuls of half the cream cheese mixture over the batter. Pour remaining batter on top, then drop remaining cream cheese mixture in dollops. Gently swirl with a toothpick in a figure-eight pattern (2-3 passes).
  7. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Tent with foil at 35 minutes if browning too quickly.
  8. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then lift out onto a cooling rack. Cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Use block cream cheese, not spreadable. Room temperature ingredients are important. Do not overmix the batter. For best swirl, layer batter and cream cheese and swirl gently. Let cool completely before slicing to allow the cream cheese swirl to set.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin bread, cream cheese swirl, small batch, fall baking, pumpkin spice, quick bread

Find it online: https://coracooks.com/cozy-small-batch-pumpkin-bread-with-cream-cheese-swirl/