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Perfect Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl

pumpkin chocolate chip bread with cream cheese swirl - featured image
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This moist and tender pumpkin bread is swirled with a creamy cream cheese ribbon and studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips. It’s the ultimate fall comfort food, perfect for gatherings or a cozy treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup (240g) pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil (or canola/neutral oil)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup (175g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for cream cheese swirl)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for cream cheese swirl)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray, then line with a parchment paper sling that hangs over the two long sides.
  2. Make the cream cheese swirl: In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese with ¼ cup sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add egg yolk and ½ teaspoon vanilla, beat until combined and silky. Set aside.
  3. Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves until no lumps remain.
  4. Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy.
  5. Combine wet and dry: Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined—do not overmix. A few small lumps are fine.
  6. Fold in chocolate chips: Add chocolate chips and fold with a few strokes. Reserve about 2 tablespoons for topping if desired.
  7. Layer batter and cream cheese: Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and spread even. Drop spoonfuls of half the cream cheese mixture over batter. Swirl gently with a toothpick or skewer in figure-eight motions. Pour remaining batter on top, spread carefully, then drop remaining cream cheese mixture and swirl again. Do not over-swirl.
  8. Bake: Place pan in center of oven and bake for 55-65 minutes. At 45 minutes, check top; if browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil. Bread is done when a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (avoid cream cheese pockets).
  9. Cool: Let bread cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use parchment sling to lift out and transfer to rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Don’t overmix the batter—mix until flour just disappears. Room temperature ingredients (cream cheese, eggs) are key for best texture. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. For dairy-free, use dairy-free cream cheese alternative. Bread tastes even better on day two. Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin bread, chocolate chip, cream cheese swirl, fall baking, quick bread, pumpkin recipe

Find it online: https://bakebelle.com/perfect-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-bread-with-cream-cheese-swirl/