Frosted Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

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

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.
• powdered sugar - For the frosting.
• 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, cloves and ginger.

*Check recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.

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 Frosted Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

1. In a medium bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients with an electric hand mixer, until smooth. Set aside.

For the Bread:

1. Preheat. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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:

1. Beat. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together with an electric hand mixer.
2. 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.
3. 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.)
4. Serve. Cut into slices and serve.

Storage

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.

Frosted Pumpkin Bread FAQs

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