This pumpkin bread with cream cheese filling is moist and super easy to make with the help of a cake mix and will quickly become a fall favorite that everyone will love.
This pumpkin bread is the perfect fusion of cozy homemade pumpkin goodness and the creamy richness of a classic cheesecake. It’s also incredibly easy to make, thanks to the use of a box cake mix.
Table of Contents:
Main Ingredient Notes:
(The printable list of all ingredients are in the recipe card below.)
For the cream cheese swirl:
Cream Cheese: This brings a creamy, tangy element to the bread, creating a delightful contrast to the pumpkin’s sweetness.
Granulated Sugar: Balancing the flavors, the sugar adds a touch of sweetness to the cream cheese swirl and adds moisture and sweetness to the pumpkin bread.
All-Purpose Flour: The flour gives a little structure to the cream cheese mixture and a lot to the bread.
Vanilla Extract: This infuses both the cream cheese swirl and the pumpkin bread with a warm, inviting flavor.
Large Eggs: Eggs help bind everything together.
Yellow Cake Mix: A convenient base for the bread, the cake mix provides a light, tender crumb while making the whole process super easy.
Canned Pumpkin: The star of the show, the canned pumpkin brings in a rich, fall flavor and adds moistness to the bread.
Cinnamon and Pumpkin Pie Spice: These spices add depth and warmth to the pumpkin bread, creating a comforting aroma and taste. This is what gives you that classic pumpkin bread taste.
Vegetable Oil: Oil provides moisture and richness and helps to make the bread tender.
How to make this bread:
Step 1:
First, you’ll want to make the cream cheese swirl. Add all of the cream cheese swirl ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer on medium-high until smooth. Set aside.
Step 2:
Now it’s time to make the pumpkin bread. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour (or spray) an 8-9 inch loaf pan.
Step 3:
In a large mixing bowl, add all of the bread ingredients except for the cake mix and mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.
Then add in the cake mix and mix on medium to medium-high until well combined.
Step 4:
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 30 seconds.
Step 5:
Pour about 2/3 of the pumpkin bread batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Step 6:
Add the cream cheese mixture and try to spread evenly.
Step 7:
Add the remaining pumpkin bread batter and spread evenly.
Step 8:
Set the filled loaf pan onto a cookie sheet or sheet pan so that it can catch any drips from the bread, since this bread will puff up quite a bit.
Step 9:
Bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Ovens vary, so start checking at about an hour.
Step 10:
Once fully baked, set the pan onto a rack to cool for about 15-20 minutes.
Cake Mix Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl
Ingredients
For the cream cheese swirl:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (1/2 a brick of cream cheese)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
For the pumpkin bread:
- 1 (15 ounce) box yellow cake mix
- 1 (15 ounce) can canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves & 1/2 tsp ginger)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
For the cream cheese swirl:
- Add all of the cream cheese swirl ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer on medium-high until smooth. Set aside.
For the pumpkin bread:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour (or spray) an 8-9 inch loaf pan. (This bread will puff up quite a bit when baking so make sure the pan is the appropriate size and not smaller than an 8-9 inch loaf pan.)
- In a large mixing bowl, add all of the bread ingredients except for the cake mix and mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.
- Add in the cake mix and mix on medium to medium-high until well combined.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 30 seconds.
- Pour about 2/3 of the pumpkin bread batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Add the cream cheese mixture and try to spread evenly.
- Add the remaining pumpkin bread batter and spread evenly.
- Set the filled loaf pan onto a cookie sheet or sheet pan so that it can catch any drips from the bread, since this bread will puff up quite a bit.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Ovens vary, so start checking at about an hour. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs on it or clean. If you take it out too soon, and there is still raw batter on the toothpick, the bread will not be fully baked and will collapse. If you make it too long, the bread will turn out dry. Just keep an eye on it and be careful not to slam the oven door closed when you start checking it.
- Once fully baked, set the pan onto a rack to cool for about 15-20 minutes, then turn bread out of the pan directly onto the rack to cool further. Cool it a bit before slicing it or it can tend to fall apart on you if cut too warm.
- This bread is best eaten warm. Because it has cream cheese as a filling, it must be stored in the refrigerator, however, you'll want to warm a slice up before eating. The cream cheese can firm up in the fridge, so it's best to warm it up to get the best texture. Feel free to warm slices in the microwave. You can also add a little butter to a slice, which is very good.
Notes
Nutrition
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Video:
Tips & FAQs:
I have not tried this recipe with reduced fat cream cheese, so I’m not sure how that would turn out, but you’re welcome to try it.
I haven’t tried out that flavor myself. It should turn out just fine though, although the taste might be slightly different.
I used Libby’s pure pumpkin. Make sure you’re using just canned pumpkin and not the pumpkin pie filling. The pie filling already has sugar and other things added to it.
Maybe, although I have not tried this recipe with real pumpkin.
There is a note after that ingredient in the recipe card below. Instead of using 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, you can use 1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves & 1/2 tsp ginger.
The batter expands quite a bit during baking, so a smaller pan may result in overflow.
A toothpick inserted should come out with a few moist crumbs. Avoid removing it too early to prevent collapse or overbaking. If you bake it too long, the bread could become dry.
Maybe, although cream cheese sometimes has a funny texture after freezing it. You are welcome to try it though. It may be just fine. Make sure to wrap the bread in plastic wrap, then in foil before freezing.
Because this bread includes cream cheese, it must be stored in the refrigerator. Wrap the bread well with plastic wrap or make sure it’s in an air-tight container so that it doesn’t dry out. This bread will last in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
This bread is best eaten warm. Since it must be stored in the refrigerator, you’ll want to warm a slice before eating. The cream cheese can firm up in the fridge, so it’s best to warm the slice to get the best texture. Feel free to warm slices in the microwave. You can also add a little butter to a slice and warm it up.
Maybe, although I have not tried it in muffin tins or cupcake liners. I think it might be just fine, although you will need to adjust the temperature to 350 degrees F and adjust the baking time to around 20-25 minutes for standard-sized muffins.
Supplies used for this recipe:
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