Caramel Cream Cheese Bread (Printable)

Tender quick bread with creamy cheesecake filling and caramel swirls, ideal for breakfast or dessert

# 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 granulated white 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 using a stand mixer, beat eggs, milk, and vegetable oil until thoroughly combined.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the 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, spreading to cover the bottom.
06 - In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth and uniform.
07 - Spoon cream cheese mixture in a continuous line down the center of the batter in each loaf pan.
08 - Distribute remaining batter over the cream cheese filling in each pan, gently spreading to completely cover without disturbing the filling.
09 - Drizzle 2 tablespoons caramel sauce in a stripe over the top of each loaf. Using a knife, gently swirl the caramel into the batter with minimal passes to create a marbled effect.
10 - Bake for 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part 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 to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese center stays soft and almost cheesecake-like while the bread stays incredibly moist, which is harder to pull off than you'd think.
  • Two loaves means you can gift one away and still have breakfast sorted for days, or freeze the extra for moments when you need comfort food ready to go.
  • It requires basic ingredients you probably have on hand, and there's zero fussy techniques—just gentle mixing and a knife swirl that looks fancier than it actually is.
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter is the number one mistake that ruins this bread—mix just until no flour streaks remain, because each additional rotation of the mixer develops gluten that makes the crumb tough and dense.
  • Softened cream cheese makes all the difference between a smooth filling and a lumpy one that never blends properly, so plan ahead or use a heat gun for a minute if you're in a rush.
  • Don't skip the cooling period in the pans—jumping straight to cooling racks causes thermal shock that creates cracks across the top of your beautiful loaf.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly and create a more cohesive batter, so pull everything out 30 minutes before you start if you have the time.
  • A toothpick inserted straight down will tell you the bread is done, but if the top is browning too quickly before the inside is set, tent it loosely with foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.
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