YUM-O!!! *Pumpkin Bread w/Cream Cheese Filling*

*PUMPKIN BREAD WITH CREAM CHEESE FILLING*

Preheat oven to 350 and place rack inthe center of the oven. Butter and lightly flour two loaf pans. Set aside.

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 oz pkg cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 Tbsp all purpose flour

In your food processor, process the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and process just until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, processing just until incorporated. Do not over process. Stir in the flour. Set aside.

Pumpkin Bread:

1 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 (15oz) can pure pumpkin (do not buy the canned pumpkin that has the spices already added)

1/2 cup water or milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk the eggs until lightly beaten. Add the sugar and melted butter and whisk until blended. Whisk or stir in the pumkin, water, vanilla, and nuts.

Add the flour mixture to the pumkin mixture and stir just until the ingredients are combined. (A few streaks of flour is fine.) Do not over mix as it will make the bread tough.

Divide the batter in half. Take one half and divide it evenly between the two prepared pans. Divide the cream cheese filling in half and place each half of filling on thop of the two pans of batter, smoothing the tops. Top with the remaining half of batter. Bake the breads for about 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Place pans on a wire rack and let cool for about 10 minutes before removing breads from pans. Can serve warm, cold, or at room temperature. Store leftovers in the refrigerator or else freeze for later use.

Makes 2 loaves.

(This recipe is courtesy of joyofbaking.com)

I made this for Thanksgiving and it was really good, not too sweet and really moist even after freezing.