when pumpkin spice is ok … Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Try as I might to resist, I’m getting twitchy for pumpkin. The amount of pumpkin/pumpkin spice products in the grocery stores is obnoxious and some things just have no business living in the pumpkin spice realm – check this list out. While I roll my eyes at the vast majority, there are a few things that I do love. The original, OG pumpkin spice donuts from my youth (still working on recreating those). My pumpkin bundt cake. A slice of a good pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. They’re delicious and invoke feelings of nostalgia in a way that pumpkin spice Cheerios or Oreos do not. Inevitably, as I pass the cans of pumpkin puree on the grocery display, one will go in my cart. Maybe two. Which is exactly what happened last week.

A very good friend of mine is adamant that vegetables do not belong in dessert. I have no such aversion and often will make something sweet from savory ingredients to great success. One year, I forgot her thoughts on this matter and made her a birthday cake. A carrot cake with thick cream cheese icing and little marzipan carrots. It was adorable and didn’t even occur to me that it fell squarely into her “not acceptable” box. We laughed about it but she doubled down on the “no vegetables in desserts” rule. I told her she was crazy and that carrot cake, especially mine, is amazing. Pfffhhhttt. So the next year I brought her a chocolate cake that I sneakily added pureed roasted beets into the batter, just to be a pain in the ass. She didn’t even notice and I felt I proved my point. She now looks at every cake I make with a side eye. Fair enough.

By her rules pumpkin is a vegetable so now every time I make something pumpkin or squash related, I laugh a little. I once got her to admit – grudgingly – that my pumpkin bundt cake was pretty good though she didn’t budge much further on her position. I made that bundt cake last week and it was great but thought maybe I could put a spin or an update on it. I had some cream cheese on hand … maybe a creamy swirl would be nice. It was. Cream cheese is a magic ingredient. In the world of pumpkin spice chaos, I’ll keep this one.

One more thing … don’t scream at me but yes, this is one of those annoying recipes that uses partial amounts of things. About 2/3 of the can of pumpkin and 6oz of an 8oz package a cream cheese. It’s just how it worked out best. So work that leftover 5oz of pumpkin into your morning smoothie or pancakes. And spread that extra few Tablespoons of cream cheese on your bagel. Cope.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: ACCEPTABLE SPICE. Seriously, pumpkin spice is getting out of hand. And yet, here I am with another. But here’s where I”m going to plead my case. Pumpkin spice IS appropriate in quick breads and cakes. Absolutely!! This one is completely within the acceptable range. It might be breakfast, it might be a snack, it might be dessert. It’s incredibly moist and everyone seems to love it. Even those with crazy rules about vegetables and their use. It’s perfect.

Other pumpkin recipes: Pumpkin Bundt Cake, Classic Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Roulade, Pumpkin Spice Granola, Pumpkin Hummus, Creamy Steel Cut Oats with Roasted Pumpkin and Pumpkinseed Crumble
Eight years ago: Cleaning Out the Freezer
Seven years ago: Blue Cheese Dressing with a Wedge Salad
Six years ago: Maple Buttermilk Spoonbread with Glazed Pears
Five years ago: Kale & Squash Salad
Four years ago: Apple Cider Compote and an Orchard Party
Three years ago: Roasted Delicata Squash – 4 Ways
Two years ago: Thai Peanut Butter
Last year: Chocolate Malt Cookies

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE BREAD
Makes one loaf

for the pumpkin bread:
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ¼ cups plain pumpkin puree (10oz)
½ cup buttermilk
¾ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup unsalted butter, room temp (1 stick)
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs

for the cream cheese filling:
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9”x5” loaf pan with parchment paper so there is an overhang on each long side. Spray the pan sides and parchment with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. For the pumpkin bread: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves and salt) and set aside until needed.
3. In another small bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, buttermilk and vanilla. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Scrape the bowl.
6. With the mixer on low, alternately add the dry and wet ingredients, starting and finishing with the dry.
7. Scrape the bowl and mix until just combined.
8. Pour 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and transfer the remaining batter to another bowl. You can wash the bowl and beater, or you can scrape it well with a rubber spatula and just more on. It’s your call.
9. For the cream cheese filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar with the paddle attachments until light and fluffy.
10. Add the flour and mix until just combined, 2-3 minutes.
11. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix until just combined.
12. Pour the cream cheese layer into the pan on top of the pumpkin batter, then pour the remaining 1/3 pumpkin batter on top.
13. Insert a butter knife or wooden skewer into the batter on one side of the pan and work swirly motions throughout the length of the pan. Resist the temptation to over swirl.
14. Bake for 1 hour until a toothpick inserted just off the center comes out clean.
15. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour then turn out from the pan. Cool completely.
16. Store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.

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