Pumpkin Patch

I love this time of year! It’s cooler, the leaves are turning and it’s the perfect time to indulge in all things pumpkin.

I found a recipe for a pumpkin bread that looked so luscious I just had to try it!

Ingredients

Bread
1 large egg
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste

Cream Cheese Filling

1 large egg
4 ounces softened brick-style cream cheese (lite is okay)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour one 9×5-inch loaf pan.
Bread – In a large bowl, add the the first ten ingredients, through ground nutmeg, and whisk to combine.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, optional salt, and fold with spatula or stir gently with a spoon until just combined; don’t overmix; set aside.
Turn about two-thirds of the batter out into the prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary; set aside.
Cream Cheese Filling – In a large bowl, add all ingredients and whisk to combine. Alternatively, mix with a hand mixer.
Evenly pour filling mixture over the bread, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides as necessary.
Top filling with remaining pumpkin batter, smoothing the top very lightly with a spatula as to not disturb cream cheese layer and pushing batter into corners and sides as necessary. Note: the cream cheese was very running because I used one of my extra jumbo fresh eggs, so that whole layering thing didn’t go as planned. I figure it’ll taste just fine anyway.
Bake for about 48 minutes or until the top is domed, golden, and the center is set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Note this is tricky because the cream cheese never gets totally solid so the toothpick test isn’t the most accurate. Tip – Tent the pan with a sheet of foil draped over it at the 35 minute-mark if you feel the tops and sides will become too browned before center cooks through. Baking times will vary based on moisture content of pumpkin, cream cheese, climate, and oven variances. Bake until done; watch your bread, not the clock.
Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Freezes well. And smells heavenly!