Caramel Cream Cheese Bread (Printable Version)

Moist quick bread with cream cheese filling and caramel swirl, perfect for breakfast or dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 milk or 2% milk
07 - 2/3 cup vegetable oil

→ Cream Cheese Filling

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

→ Topping

11 - 1/4 cup caramel sauce

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 1-pound loaf pans with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
03 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat eggs, milk, and oil together until well combined.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix to maintain tender crumb structure.
05 - Divide half of the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.
06 - In a separate bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth and uniform.
07 - Spoon cream cheese mixture in a line down the center of the batter in each loaf pan.
08 - Distribute remaining batter over cream cheese layer, spreading gently with a spatula to cover completely.
09 - Drizzle caramel sauce in a stripe over the top of each loaf. Using a knife, gently swirl caramel into batter with minimal passes to create ribbons.
10 - Bake for 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Cream cheese residue on toothpick is acceptable.
11 - Allow loaves to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese layer stays pockets of pure decadence instead of disappearing into the crumb like it does in other recipes.
  • You get breakfast-appropriate flavor but dessert-level indulgence, so it works whether you're feeding a crowd or just yourself before noon.
  • Two loaves means one for now and one for the freezer, or one for you and one for someone who really deserves it.
02 -
  • Overfilling the pans is the number one way to end up with batter in your oven—leave at least an inch at the top so the bread has room to rise without overflow disaster.
  • The caramel swirl can turn into a brown mess if you overwork it, so use a light hand and trust that less swirling actually looks better.
03 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese beats smooth instantly, but if yours is cold, just let it sit out for fifteen minutes while you prepare everything else.
  • The toothpick test is more forgiving than with cakes because some cream cheese sticking is actually the sign you've baked it perfectly—pull it out when the surrounding bread is set.
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