Caramel Cream Cheese Bread (Printable Version)

Moist quick bread with creamy cheesecake center and sweet caramel swirl throughout every slice.

# What You 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:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 1-pound loaf pans with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat eggs, milk, and vegetable oil until thoroughly 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 create an even base layer.
06 - In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth and creamy.
07 - Spoon cream cheese mixture in a continuous line down the center of the batter in each prepared pan.
08 - Spread remaining batter over the cream cheese layer in each pan, gently covering the filling without breaking through.
09 - Drizzle caramel sauce in a stripe pattern over the top of each loaf. Using a knife, gently swirl the caramel into the batter with light movements to create a marbled effect.
10 - Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with minimal cream cheese residue.
11 - Allow loaves to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing to set the crumb structure.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese center tastes like cheesecake baked into tender, moist bread without any complicated steps.
  • It comes together in one bowl with ingredients you likely already have, and the caramel swirl makes it look bakery fancy.
  • You get two full loaves, so theres plenty to share or freeze for later when you need something sweet in a hurry.
02 -
  • Do not overfill your pans, leave at least an inch of space at the top or the batter will overflow and make a mess in your oven.
  • If your cream cheese isnt fully softened, youll end up with lumps that wont blend smoothly, so plan ahead and leave it out early.
  • Swirl the caramel gently, too much mixing will cause it to disappear into the batter instead of creating that pretty marbled effect.
03 -
  • Use a light hand when swirling the caramel, one or two gentle passes with a knife is all you need for a beautiful marbled look.
  • Let the loaves cool completely before slicing or the cream cheese center will be too soft and wont hold its shape.
  • If youre making mini loaves or muffins, start checking for doneness five minutes early since smaller portions bake faster.
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