Ingredients
- Cheese Filling:
- 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- Pumpkin Bread:
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 - 15 ounce can or 1 Cup pure pumpkin
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
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Pumpkin Bread: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter and lightly flour two – 9 × 5 × 3 inch (23 × 13 × 8 cm) loaf pans.
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To toast nuts: Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 – 10 minutes or until brown and fragrant. Cool completely and then chop coarsely.
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Cream Cheese Filling: In your food processor, process the cream cheese just until smooth. Add the sugar and process just until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, processing just until incorporated. Do not over process. Stir in the flour.
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Pumpkin Bread: In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
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In another large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Add the sugar and melted butter and whisk until blended. Whisk or stir in the pumpkin, water, vanilla extract, and nuts.
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Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until the ingredients are combined. (A few streaks of flour is fine.) Do not over mix as it will make the bread tough.
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Divide the batter in half. Take one half and divide it evenly between the two prepared pans. Divide the cream cheese filling in half and place each half of filling on top the two pans of batter, smoothing the tops. Top with the remaining half of batter (use two spoons to place small dollops of batter on top of the filling). Bake the breads for about 55 – 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
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Place pans on a wire rack and let cool for about 10 minutes before removing breads from pans. Can serve warm, cold, or at room temperature. Store leftovers in the refrigerator or else freeze for later use.
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Makes 2 loaves.