Caramel Cream Cheese Bread (Printable)

Moist, tender quick bread with rich cream cheese and caramel swirls. Perfect for breakfast or dessert, offering a decadent center.

# Components:

→ Bread Batter

01 - 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
02 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
03 - 2 tablespoons baking powder
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 2 cups whole or 2% milk
07 - ⅔ cup vegetable oil

→ Cream Cheese Filling

08 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
09 - ¼ cup white granulated sugar
10 - 1 large egg

→ Topping

11 - ¼ cup caramel sauce

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 1-pound loaf pans thoroughly with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the eggs, milk, and oil on medium speed until fully combined, about 1 minute.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix—small lumps are acceptable.
05 - Divide half of the batter evenly between the prepared loaf pans, spreading to create an even layer.
06 - In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
07 - Spoon the cream cheese mixture in a continuous line down the center of the batter in each pan.
08 - Top with the remaining batter, spreading gently with a spatula to completely cover the cream cheese filling.
09 - Drizzle a stripe of caramel sauce over the top of each loaf. Using a knife, make 2-3 gentle swirls through the batter—do not overswirl or the layers will muddy.
10 - Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Some cream cheese residue on the toothpick is expected.
11 - Allow loaves to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, about 1 hour.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese layer stays impossibly creamy while the bread bakes up tender and cake-like
  • You get that swirled bakery look without any fancy techniques or patience required
02 -
  • Over-swirling the caramel will muddy the beautiful ribbons, just 2-3 gentle passes through the batter is perfect
  • The toothpick test is tricky here, some cream cheese on the tester is normal but wet batter means it needs more time
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients prevent lumps in the cream cheese filling and ensure even baking
  • Use light-colored loaf pans to prevent the bottoms from getting too dark before the center is done
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