And it’s that time of the year! A whole lot of pumpkin recipes are in store for you. I began this week by making some fresh homemade pumpkin puree because I just love the flavor and freshness it adds to baked goods. I always make just enough for a recipe or two. The fresher the puree, the better the result of the finished product.
When Lora picked cheese for this month’s #twelveloaves challenge, my first instinct was to bake a savory treat for the occasion. But being the cream cheese fiend I am, I chose to go with this sweet and tangy pumpkin streusel bread, perfect for a crisp autumn morning.
What I like most about the recipe is that the cream cheese is incorporated along with the butter. I think this works better than making two separate batters, where you’ll just land up with a cream cheese ripple through the pumpkin batter. The cream cheese and butter combo is absolutely divine, and yields a rich and tender crumb. The original recipe also calls for pecans that I totally omitted, but you can add any nut of your choice.
Over to the recipe: the unbeatable combination of pumpkin and cream cheese with the perfect finish of an almond-y streusel.
- 11/2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup slivered and roughly chopped almonds
- ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon melted butter
- Tiny pinch ground cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease one 8 by 4 inch loaf pan.
- Combined all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until its creamy and well combined.
- Add in the sugar gradually and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add in egg and vanilla and mix until blended.
- Slowly in the flour mixture in two parts adding the pumpkin puree along with the 2nd and beat until well combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the almond mixture evenly.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. (See Note)
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then set on a wire rack to cool completely.
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