Caramel Cream Cheese Bread (Printable)

Moist quick bread with creamy cheesecake filling and sweet caramel swirls

# 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
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 the batter.
05 - Divide half of the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans.
06 - In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth and creamy.
07 - Spoon cream cheese mixture in a line down the center of the batter in each pan.
08 - Top with remaining batter, spreading gently over the cream cheese layer to cover completely.
09 - Drizzle caramel sauce in a stripe over the top of each loaf. Using a knife, gently swirl the caramel into the batter with light motions to avoid overworking.
10 - Bake for 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Some cream cheese residue on the 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 Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like cheesecake and coffee cake had a baby, but you don't need a mixer or any fancy technique.
  • The caramel swirl makes every slice look bakery-level gorgeous without any piping or decorating skills.
  • You get two loaves from one batch, so you can freeze one or be the hero at brunch.
02 -
  • Do not overfill the pans or the batter will overflow and make a burnt mess on your oven floor, trust me on this one.
  • The cream cheese layer will look like it's sinking or disappearing while you assemble, but it magically reappears as a perfect stripe when you bake it.
  • Let the loaves cool completely before slicing or the cream cheese will smear and you'll lose that beautiful layered look.
03 -
  • Use parchment paper slings in your loaf pans for foolproof removal, just lift the whole loaf out by the edges.
  • If your caramel sauce is too thick to drizzle, warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds and it'll flow beautifully.
  • For extra drama, reserve a tablespoon of caramel and drizzle it over slices right before serving.
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