You’re going to love this cream cheese pumpkin bread. It’s deliciously moist and flavorful. I make all my recipes on here dairy free but as will all my recipes you can always use dairy products if you can tolerate them.
Dairy Free Tofutti Cream Cheese is the Best!
If you want bigger cream cheese pockets, just add all the cream cheese filling in the same layer instead of dividing it into two.
I would also only use an electric mixer for the cream cheese filling to make it nice and smooth. Use just a whisk and spatula for the rest. When you use pumpkin for baking you have to be careful not to over mix and add too much air to the batter.
You’ll probably experience the bread (or anything else you bake with pumpkin) falling a bit after it comes out of the oven. This happens when there is too much air in the batter and because of the adjustment of temperature from the oven to room temperature.
I hope you love this cream cheese pumpkin bread.
I used my flour blend (find the recipe here) if you choose to use a different gluten free flour I recommend King Arthur’s Measure for Measure and omit the xanthan gum (it’s already in the blend) or use a scale and match the weight of whatever flour you’re using. Your results may vary.
Thanksgiving is going to look different this year but I do hope it is filled with new memories and traditions. If you make this bread I’d love to hear what you think or see a picture of it in my Stay Gluten Free Community (it’s free to join, click here)
Paola Anna has helped thousands of people live a delicious gluten free life. Her gluten intolerance and her boys’ food allergies have inspired her to be an advocate for the gluten free community and create recipes that the whole family will love. You can sign up to be a Gluten Free Insider at her website stayglutenfree.com
Dairy Free Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread
Ingredients
Cream cheese filling
- cooking spray or shortening to prepare pan
- 4 oz Dairy free cream cheese room temperature; see notes
- 3 tbsp Sugar
- 1 Large egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
Bread
- 220g (1 3/4 cups) SGF All-Purpose Blend (link to recipe in post) see notes
- 1 tsp Xanthan gum see notes
- 200g (1 cup) Sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
- 225g (1 cup) canned pumpkin puree see notes
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth Balance soy free butter sticks melted; see notes
- 1 large Egg
- 1/3 cup Coconut Milk see notes
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 5x9 loaf pan.
- Make the cream cheese filling first. Using and electric mixer, mix the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla together until it is smooth and creamy. Set it aside.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the egg using a fork.
- Add the milk, melted butter and vanilla to the beaten egg and stir it all together.
- Using a spatula (*DO NOT use electric mixer) add the pumpkin puree and flour mixture and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
- Pour 1/3 third of the pumpkin batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Then add a layer of cream cheese filling. Use a spatula to even out the filling later. Add another layer of pumpkin batter, then the rest of the filling, followed by the rest of the batter. (The top layer of pumpkin might be thin, that's ok). Smooth the top with a spatula.
- Use a knife to cut through the batter horizontally to create a swirl effect.
- Bake about 1 hour and 10 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn off the oven leaving the bread inside and crack the oven door open to allow for a slow temperature adjustment. Leave it in the oven for about 5 minutes more with the door cracked open.
- Let the loaf cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then use a knife to loosen the edges of the bread and remove it from the pan to cool on a wire rack for about an hour.
- Slice, serve and enjoy.
Notes
- As with all my recipes, you can use dairy if you can tolerate it.
- My favorite brand of dairy free cream cheese is Tofutti. I have also successfully use Daiya plain cream cheese in my baking.
- I used my Stay Gluten Free Signature flour blend in this recipes. If you do not, I recommend trying it with King Arthur's Measure for Measure to get the closest best results.
- With any All-Purpose gluten free flour, if it already has xanthan gum in the blend, do not add more
- My preferred brand of pumpkin puree for baking is Libby's brand. It is less watery than other brands. If using another brand make sure to use paper towels to soak up some of the water.
- I use Earth Balance Soy free butter sticks. They also make a "vegan" variety.
- I only use So Delicious brand "shelf stable" coconut milk beverage. This has worked best in my baking.
- Keep this bread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or wrap and freeze individual slices to enjoy later.