Cinnamon and Cream Cheese Swirl Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin bread sliced on cutting board with cream cheese and cinnamon swirl in center.

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Cinnamon and Cream Cheese Swirl Pumpkin Bread

This cozy cinnamon and cream cheese pumpkin bread includes a cinnamon sugar swirl topped with a cream cheese swirl to make the most decadent pumpkin bread! A few extra steps, but so worth it for this fall favorite recipe. Perfectly spiced and topped with a slight crunch form the cinnamon sugar topping, this is the recipe everyone will beg for!

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Baked Goods

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Lorie Yarro

Equipment

9 x 5 x 2.75 inch loaf pan

Ingredients

Cinnamon Sugar

⅓ cup sugar
½ Tbsp cinnamon (or measure with your heart)

Pumpkin Bread

2 cups flour, spooned and leveled (250 g)
2 tsp pumpkin spice
1- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
¾ cup sugar (150 g)
½ cup brown sugar (100 g)
2 large eggs room temperature
½ cup canola oil
1 Tbsp molasses optional but adds a pop
⅓ cup whole milk
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cup pumpkin purée (350 g)

Cream Cheese Layer

5 oz cream cheese, softened room temperature
1 large egg room temperature
3 Tbsp sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp flour (16 g)
Optional pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk the cinnamon sugar together in a small dish and set aside.
Prep the Pumpkin Bread: To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, salt and baking powder and whisk to combine.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, brown sugar and oil until smooth. Add in the molasses, vanilla, pumpkin and milk and whisk until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir or fold gently to combine until no streaks of flour.
Prep the Cream Cheese Layer: In one more small bowl (I know, this one requires some dishes), mash the cream cheese with a fork to break it down and bit and then add the other ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Assemble: Line a 1.25 lb. (9x5inch) bread pan with parchment. Pour half of the pumpkin bread batter into the pan and spread to make it even. Sprinkle most of the cinnamon sugar mixture over top to cover it completely, reserving about 1 ½ Tbsp for the top of the bread.
Spoon or pour the cream cheese mixture over top of the cinnamon sugar layer. Spread it slightly and gently. It doesn’t need to go all the way to the edges, but If it does, that is fine.
Pour remaining pumpkin bread batter over the cream cheese mixture and gently spread to completely cover. Sprinkle reserved cinnamon sugar over top to cover.
Bake: Bake for about 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool until ready to serve!

Notes

Storage: You can actually store this bread at room temperature for about 2-3 days in an airtight container (wait until it's fully cooled). For longer storage, you can refrigerate it. This will also freeze well once cooled. We prefer to wrap it twice, once in parchment and then in foil for the best protection from frost. I also will store single slices sometimes.

Make sure you use a 9x5 inch loaf pan. I made the mistake of using an 8x4 inch pan and it baked way over. The 9x5 inch is also called a 1.25 lb loaf pan. The layers and amount of batter need the extra space!

Bake time can vary based on your oven and other factors, so if it seems that the top of the bread is getting brown but the bread is not ready, you can loosely tent with foil to keep the top from burning.

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