This frosted pumpkin cream cheese bread is a delectable recipe you can enjoy at any time, whether it is for breakfast, dessert or a fall snack. This easy, cozy quick bread is ready in just an hour!
A Little Slice of Cozy Fall Flavors
The abundance of fresh, seasonal produce like pumpkins, apples, cranberries, and sweet potatoes makes fall an exciting time for food lovers. These ingredients are at their peak, inspiring a variety of delicious dishes.
Pumpkin bread with cream cheese filling and frosting is a deliciously moist and flavorful quick bread that embodies the warm, cozy flavors of fall.
While the puréed pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices give it its warmth, the sweet cream cheese frosting and savory swirl filling balance the flavors out.
I like to enjoy it with a cup of hot coffee flavored with my DIY pumpkin spice creamer or a glass of pumpkin milk.
Some more delicious, pumpkin-flavored, cozy fall recipes you might want to try are this pumpkin fluff dessert, which is great for dipping with guests and this pumpkin galette which is a savory appetizer, snack or side dish.
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Quick Bread Vs. Yeast Bread
Since this recipe is not made with yeast, it is not like other breads; it is a quick bread. Quick breads are made quickly in the kitchen with chemical leaveners, like baking soda and baking powder, while yeast breads require more time for fermentation. They are literally 'quicker' to make than yeast breads because you can skip the rising step.
Quick breads are either made with doughs (biscuits and scones) or batters (muffins and quick loaf breads) and can be salty or sweet.
By mixing the batter as little as possible, it makes the texture lighter and more tender than regular bread. The texture of quick loaf bread is often compared to cake, and with the cream cheese swirl filling and frosting in this recipe, it is like eating a sweet piece of autumn cake.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This recipe makes 2 loaves. I usually keep one for eating and I freeze the other loaf.
- cream cheese - The brick cream cheese works best.
- large eggs - If you use smaller eggs, the ratio of ingredients might be off, which can affect the bread's texture, rise, and flavor. So, be sure to use large eggs for this recipe.
- all-purpose flour - If you're aiming for a more tender, softer texture, you might consider using cake flour, which has a lower protein content. But all-purpose flour is definitely a good, reliable choice for most sweet bread recipes.
- butter - If you only have salted butter on hand, feel free to use that.
- milk - This is for the creamy frosting. You could swap it with water if preferred.
- canned pure pumpkin purée - If you end up with leftovers, you can get some ideas for using it up by checking out this post on what to do with leftover prepared pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin purée.
- fall spices - Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger is the classic pumpkin dessert spice mix. You can also check out my guide on how to make pumpkin pie spice at home.
*Check recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.
Recipe Tweaks
This pumpkin cream cheese bread is versatile in flavor, so it can take many accompaniments.
- Toasted nuts like walnuts and pumpkin seeds will match with the fall seasonings and produce. They can be added to the batter or sprinkled on top.
- Fresh or dried cranberries will add an extra tartness and texture to the smooth pumpkin.
- Whipped cream is light, not overpowering, and an homage to the classic pumpkin pie.
How to Make Frosted Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients with an electric hand mixer, until smooth. Set aside.
For the Bread:
- Preheat. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.
- Make batter. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, oil, water and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. Mix the dry ingredients with the pumpkin mixture until just combined.
- Add batter to pans. Divide half of the batter into the 2 loaf pans. Add half of the cheese cream filling to each pan and then top with remaining pumpkin bread batter. This is how you get a cream cheese swirl in the middle.
- Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a baking rack. Continue to cool before frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together with an electric hand mixer.
- Whisk. Whisk the powdered sugar and cinnamon together. Add half of it to the butter mixture at a time and continue to beat until fluffy. Add the milk and combine well. If it's too thick you can add a little more milk. If it's too runny, add a little bit more powdered sugar.
- Spread. Spread the frosting generously on top of the cooled pumpkin bread. (You can frost just the top or do the sides as well, if you like.)
- Serve. Cut into slices and serve.
If you liked this pumpkin dessert, you might also want to try my invisible pumpkin pie!
Frosted Pumpkin Bread FAQs
Unfortunately, yes. If you cut one loaf into 10 slices, each slice of this pumpkin bread will have about 280kcal.
Yes, pumpkin bread is a carb because it contains flour, sugar, etc. Each slice of this bread contains about 34 grams of carbohydrates.
It can only sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours. Because of the use of cream cheese, it is recommended to refrigerate the bread for up to 1 week to keep it from spoiling.
It is freezable, but I recommend covering it well and leaving it unfrosted until you thaw it. Be sure to wrap the bread in plastic wrap and either put it in aluminum foil or a freezer bag. Label the date the bread was made on the foil or bag; it can be frozen for up to 3 months. The texture of the cream cheese may alter slightly when thawed.
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes to Consider
If you tried this Frosted Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Frosted Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
Ingredients
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces brick cream cheese - softened
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the Bread
- 1 ⅔ cups canned pure pumpkin purée - about 13 ounces
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup canola oil
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese - softened (½ a brick)
- ¼ cup butter - softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon milk
Instructions
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients with an electric hand mixer, until smooth. Set aside.8 ounces brick cream cheese, 2 large eggs, 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the Bread
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, eggs, oil, water and sugar.1 ⅔ cups canned pure pumpkin purée, 2 eggs, ½ cup canola oil, ⅓ cup water, 1 ½ cups white sugar
- In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together. Mix the dry ingredients with the pumpkin mixture until just combined.1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- Divide half of the batter into the 2 loaf pans. Add half of the cheese cream filling to each pan and then top with remaining pumpkin bread batter. This is how you get a cream cheese swirl in the middle.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a baking rack. Continue to cool before frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together with an electric hand mixer.4 ounces cream cheese, ¼ cup butter
- Whisk the powdered sugar and cinnamon together. Add half of it to the butter mixture at a time and continue to beat until fluffy. Add the milk and combine well. If it's too thick you can add a little more milk. If it's too runny, add a little bit more powdered sugar.1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ tablespoon milk
- Spread the frosting generously on top of the cooled pumpkin bread. (You can frost just the top or do the sides as well if you like.)
- Cut into slices and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- This recipe makes 2 loaves. I usually keep one for eating and I freeze the other loaf. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. I recommend covering it well and leaving it unfrosted until you thaw it.
- Otherwise, store the bread in the fridge because it contains cream cheese. It can last up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
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