It’s beginning to smell a lot like fall! Well at least it is in my house. I am trying to pretend it is fairly cool outside even though we are actually still reaching a whopping 90 degrees today here in Houston. No worries, if fall won’t come to me I will make fall!
Every year around this time I begin my ritual pumpkin baking. I put pumpkin in any and everything I can get my hands on. Muffins, breads, quesadilla’s (Oh yes, just you wait and see), pasta and even veggie burgers! This year I decided to kick things off with a yummy delicious pumpkin bread with none other than our good friend cream cheese on top. It is out of this world. The cream cheese topping is blended with a touch of browned butter and almond extract making it irresistible and nutty and the pumpkin bread is loaded down with my favorite fall spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
I am sure you have had your many tastes of pumpkin bread but rest assured there is nothing quite like this bread and I will even go so far as to say it is the BEST DANG PUMPKIN BREAD YOU’LL EVER HAVE! Dare I? Yes I dare! The secret to this dish is the browned butter in the cream cheese frosting- I just had to do it- don’t hate me! Everything is better with butter-right?
- For the Cheese Batter:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 TBSP butter, unsalted
- 1 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
- For the Pumpkin Spice Batter:
- ¾ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- Other:
- Butter, to grease the pans
- For the Cheese Batter: Bthe butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir the pan continually for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the crackling, and foaming has subsided, the butter has browned, and has a nutty aroma. Watch it closely so that it doesn’t go from browned and nutty to burnt. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Combine the remaining cream cheese frosting ingredients into the same bowl as the butter and using a handheld electric mixer beat until smooth and creamy.
- For the Pumpkin Spice Batter: Preheat oven to 350F; lightly grease 3 mini loaf pans with butter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, then stir in the pumpkin, canola oil, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet, being careful not to over-mix. Divide the pumpkin batter between the 3 loaf pans, then pour the cheese batter on top.
- Bake until golden around the edges, about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean or with just a couple crumbs. Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
ahh..the weather is warming up over on my side of the world- but regardless, I think a slice of the bread will make my day BETTER! I bet your house smells amazing.
Nice photos and nice bread. I don’t bake so I have to rely on my fond memories of grandma’s pumpkin and/or zucchini breads. Delicious. How come there are two ways to comment on this blog?
I’ve never been a big pumpkin fan (gasp!) but I recently tried a pumpkin muffin and liked it. Who knows, I may turn into a pumpkin lover yet! My husband LOVES it though, so he’d love this bread!
This looks good! I’ve just made some pumpkin puree yesterday! Bookmarked! Thanks for sharing!
this looks TO DIE FOR…
i’m right there with ya… ALL things pumpkin right around this time… look forward to seeing any & all [recipes] you’ve got :).
ryan was just in houston for a week (starbucks leadership conference)… wish i could’ve come with him, and met you!!
Oddly enough, I had dreams about pumpkin and cream cheese last night. I think it’s a sign that I need to make this recipe.
OMG this sounds incredible!! Pumpkin bread/muffins are my favorite in the fall. Definitely bookmarking this.
I haven’t had pumpkin bread in years Jessica, but this sounds outrageously good! Hope you had a relaxing weekend.
Oh I want to make this today!!!
The cream cheese frosting sounds awesome!
NO way girl you did it again just blew me away I am going to make it this week being that we had an awesome super cool weekend 50-60s. I am in the fall mood and what do you know Louisianaa weather it will be in the 80s this week so this will be great to keep me in the fall spirit
This most definitely looks out of this world! Looks soft, tender, and super moist!!
I want to dive into the pumpkin deliciousness going on here. Oh yum!
I love pumpkin in any shape or form Belle, so these loaves look fantastic.
🙂 Mandy
Just when I thought there was nothing new in pumpkin recipes, along comes this delicious-looking one. I have six small pumpkins just waiting for a starring role!!
Best,
Bonnie
I have never had pumpkin bread (blush) but I have heard and seen a lots online. Looks incredibly moist!
Crazy that it’s still 90 in Houston. It’s in the 50s here in Boston today, so I’m all about this bread! With a nice hot cup of coffee. This really does look out of this world 🙂
It does look and sound out of this world.
Looks outrageously Out of this World good!! The fabulous topping makes me want to bite into one of these lovely little loaves:)
Um, I’ll take 2 loaves right now please! Looks incredible!!
Sounds delicious! I love cream cheese + pumpkin bread! 🙂
Just when I thought I have baked and tried everything possible with pumpkin…along comes this beauty of a recipe. I can only imagine how heavenly this bread is Jessica! So glad you have shared it with us. Have a great week.
Yes I believe it when you said you make it fall, especially with this fantastic pumpkin recipe! I heard of this book before and seems like a wondeful cookbook! The cream cheese topping is a nice topping on pumpkin!
sounds wonderful!! i always hear how amazing brown butter makes to the bakes. hopefully one day i get to try this out!
Still so hot!! I love your optimisim baking for Fall! GREAT recipe – these loaves look fantastic!
Mary x
I’ve never seen a pumpkin bread like this…and I LOVE it! A cream cheese topping never hurts, does it? It only makes baked goods more delectable 🙂 A MUST try!
I am screaming for Fall to arrive here in North Florida too! Look at mid 80’s in the day-almost!
These pumpkin cakes look out of this world. Love, love, it.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Velva
Oh my! Pumpkin and Cream cheese – this is totally my kind of bread! Out of the world indeed. 🙂
I’ve been on a pumpkin kick lately! Great idea with the addition of cream cheese.
Ok, you and I should honestly be friends, as we have WAY to much in common from our cereal addictions to our cleanliness and now we are pumpkin freaks! I just posted a pumpkin muffin recipe that I found on Pinterest. How funny is that? When it comes to fall, I’m the same way, I love anything pumpkin and I go pumpkin crazy as well. I’m curious about those pumpkin quesadillas. I can’t wait to see that post.
It’s the same weather wise here, it was 100 degrees last week and it has finally cooled off a bit, but it’s still pretty warm.
I’m going to have to try these mini pumpkin loaves being the pumpkin fan that I am! Have a great day girl!
xoxo,
Jackie
this is the perfect fall recipe! oh man this looks good!
That looks beyond AMAZING!!!!!!
This is blowing my mind right now Jessica. I cannot get over how good this looks. As soon as we get home, this is on my list. 🙂
You’ve somehow managed to make me even MORE excited about pumpkin than I already was! These look great.
Love this Jessica. This is perfect for a nice fall day like today. We actually have our windows open in Phoenix.
What a great idea – I think I’ll have to try it, although I might adapt the main cake part… Pumpkin just doesn’t do it for me usually, although I like it from time to time, and I love how pretty it looks! Chocolate though… now we’re talking 😀
I can smell the fall flavor of your bread from my computer. The cheese batter on top really looks cool.
What a fantastic idea. I love cheesecake brownies but have never seen cream cheese topped quick bread. Love it.
Oh I am so going to have to make these! Wonderful idea
This looks amazing! I love the idea of a cream cheese topping for pumpkin bread. I think I’ll have t give this a try real soon.
I need to make this asap! Maybe even in a muffin form? Great combo and my fav fall coffee partner 🙂
We are having the same weather over here, I’m still melting from the heat!
looks fabulous! but you’ve got me intrigued with your pumpkin quesadilla idea—sounds dee-lish.
Great combination! Love pumpkin and cream cheese!!