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Quick Small-Batch Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl

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A moist, spiced pumpkin bread with a tangy cream cheese swirl, perfect for weeknight cravings. This small-batch recipe makes one 8×4-inch loaf in under an hour.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (120g) pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides.
  2. Make the cream cheese swirl: In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon flour until smooth. Set aside.
  3. Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
  4. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  5. Combine: Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients. Fold with a rubber spatula just until no streaks of flour remain (10-12 strokes). Batter will be thick and slightly lumpy.
  6. Layer: Pour half the batter into prepared pan. Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture over batter. Top with remaining batter, then dollop remaining cream cheese mixture on top.
  7. Swirl: Use a toothpick or skewer to drag through batter in a figure-eight pattern about 5-6 times. Do not over-swirl.
  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If top browns too quickly, tent with foil.
  9. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then lift out using parchment and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely (about 1 hour) before slicing.

Notes

For best results, use room temperature ingredients. Do not overmix the batter. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to allow the cream cheese swirl to set. The bread tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin bread, cream cheese swirl, small batch, quick bread, fall baking, pumpkin spice

Find it online: https://oracooks.com/quick-small-batch-pumpkin-bread-with-cream-cheese-swirl/