Description
Pumpkin bread with cream cheese swirl, a warm spiced crumb with a tangy vanilla ribbon. A few gentle swirls combine the two layers into a loaf to be sliced slowly and shared.
Ingredients
Scale
Pumpkin Bread Batter
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup neutral vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 8 ounces (226 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cook the Pumpkin Pastry Cream: Whisk brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a saucepan. Add heavy cream and egg yolks, then cook over medium heat, whisking until thick and bubbling. Continue for 1 minute.
- Add the Pumpkin and Chill: Remove from heat and stir in pumpkin purée, butter, and vanilla. Transfer to a shallow container, cover directly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until completely cold.
- Cook the Choux Dough: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet. Bring water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar to a boil. Stir in flour, then cook for 1–2 minutes until the dough forms a ball and leaves a thin film on the pan.
- Add the Eggs Gradually: Cool the dough for 5–10 minutes until warm. Beat in 3 eggs one at a time, then gradually add the beaten fourth egg until glossy and thick enough to form a V when lifted.
- Portion and Bake: Pipe 12 mounds, about 2 inches wide and 3 inches apart. Smooth the tips. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350°F (175°C) without opening the oven. Bake another 20–30 minutes until golden and firm.
- Vent and Cool: Cut a small slit in each puff and return to a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack, split horizontally when cool enough to handle, and cool completely.
- Fill and Finish: Whisk the chilled pumpkin cream until smooth and pipe into the cooled shells. Replace the tops, dust with powdered sugar, and refrigerate until serving. Enjoy the same day for the best texture.
Notes
- Cream cheese and eggs: Use softened block cream cheese. The bread takes two whole eggs; the filling takes one separate yolk.
- Butter option: The original recipe also allows ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until no longer hot, in place of the oil.
- Swirling and doneness: Keep the orange and white layers visible while swirling. Test the pumpkin crumb in several spots rather than relying on a tester coated only with filling.
- Storage: Refrigerate well wrapped at 40°F (4°C) or colder for up to 4 days. Freeze individually wrapped slices for up to 2 months for best quality; thaw in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: per slice
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 240 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg