Caramel Cream Cheese Bread (Print out)

Moist quick bread with cream cheese and caramel swirl. Ready in 1 hour with a decadent cheesecake center.

# 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

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 1-pound loaf pans with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat eggs, milk, and vegetable oil until fully 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 prepared loaf pans, spreading to an even layer.
06 - In a separate bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth and well combined.
07 - Spoon the cream cheese mixture in a thin line down the center of each loaf pan along the batter.
08 - Spread remaining batter gently over the cream cheese layer, covering completely and ensuring at least 1 inch clearance from pan rim.
09 - Drizzle a stripe of caramel sauce over the top of each loaf. Using a knife, gently swirl the caramel through the batter without excessive stirring.
10 - Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean with minimal cream cheese residue.
11 - Allow loaves to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like cheesecake and cinnamon rolls had a baby, but you don't need any yeast or waiting time.
  • The swirl effect looks impressive, but it's actually forgiving and fun to make.
  • You get two loaves, so you can freeze one or give it away and still have plenty left.
  • It works beautifully for breakfast with coffee or as dessert with vanilla ice cream.
02 -
  • Let the cream cheese sit out for at least 30 minutes before you start, cold cream cheese will never blend smoothly and you'll end up with lumps.
  • Don't fill the pans more than two-thirds full or the batter will overflow as it rises, leaving you with a mess in the oven.
  • The swirl only needs two or three gentle strokes, if you overwork it the caramel just disappears into the batter.
03 -
  • Use a light hand when swirling the caramel, the contrast between the ribbons and the bread is what makes each slice look bakery-perfect.
  • If your caramel sauce is too thick to drizzle, warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds to loosen it up.
  • Line your pans with parchment paper if you want the loaves to slide out effortlessly every single time.
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