Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Pumpkin Cream Cheese  Bread

(from stressspelledbackwards.com)

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bread:

• 1  2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 to 1 1/4 cup(s) pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1  1/2 cups sugar

Cinnamon Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 to 2 1/2 Tablespoons half & half or heavy cream
• 1/2  to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 8 x 4 x 3-inch loaf pans.
2.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, flour, egg, and vanilla; beat until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
3.  In a large bowl, blend 1  2/3 cup flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg; set aside. 
4. In another medium bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs and sugar; beat at medium speed for 5 minutes (color will change slightly when ready). Stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture just until combined. 
5. Pour half of the pumpkin bread batter evenly into the two prepared loaf pans. Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of the pumpkin batter layers in each loaf pan and then spoon or pour  on the remaining pumpkin batter (if you don’t have enough pumpkin batter to cover the cream cheese layer entirely, that’s okay, because you’ll be swirling them together anyway). Take a knife and stick straight down into the top pumpkin batter layer and middle cream cheese layer; swirl the knife around in these two layers, creating a marble effect; this will give the cream cheese filling a nice swirly shape as it bakes.
6. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool bread in pans for 10 minutes; remove to a rack to cool completely. While waiting for the bread to cool, mix your cinnamon glaze: combine powdered sugar and half & half, blending well; then add cinnamon and mix until smooth and creamy.  Drizzle over completely cooled bread loaves and then sprinkle on nuts for garnish.  Refrigerate.  I think this bread tastes better after a day!  

I know it takes a few bowls and a little more time but honestly not that much!  You don't need the glaze, the bread is great without, but extra great with the glaze. Who doesn't love a little more sugar?  Such a flavorful, delicious bread, more decadent because of the cream cheese addition.  Pumpkin bread lovers should really enjoy this!