Ingredients:

0.5x

1x

2x

4x

Pumpkin Batter

•   1/2 Cup Salted Butter  (For browning )
•   2 Tbsp Salted Butter
•   1/2 Cup Sugar
•   1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
•   2 Large Eggs
•   1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
•   2 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
•   1 Cup Pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
•   1 3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
•   1 Tsp Baking Soda
•   1/2 Tsp Salt 
•   1 1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon 
•   1/2 Tsp Ground Nutmug
•   1/4 Tsp Ground Ginger
•   Pinch of Ground Cloves

Maple Cream Cheese Filling

•   8 Oz Cream Cheese  (Room temperature )
•   3 Tbsp Sugar
•   1 Large Egg (Room Temperature )
•   1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
•   1 Tbsp Pure maple syrup 

Brown Sugar Pecan Topping

•   1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Pecans 
•   2 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar
•   1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon 

Ingredients are subject to availability at local stores. Unavailable items will be automatically substituted at best-effort.

1. Brown the butter. Add ½ cup salted butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the butter begins to foam and develops golden-brown bits with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Allow to cool for 10–15 minutes.
2. Prepare the oven and pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cooled brown butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, maple syrup, and pumpkin purée. Mix until well combined.
4. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
5. Make the pumpkin batter. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
6. Prepare the cream cheese filling. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar until completely smooth. Add the vanilla extract and maple syrup, mixing until combined. Finally, beat in the egg until the filling is creamy and smooth.
7. Layer the loaf. Pour one-third of the pumpkin batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Spoon half of the cream cheese filling over the batter. Add another third of the pumpkin batter, followed by the remaining cream cheese filling. Finish with the remaining pumpkin batter.
8. Create the swirl. Gently run a butter knife through the batter 2–3 times to create a swirl. Avoid overmixing the layers.
9. Add the topping. In a small bowl, combine the chopped pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the loaf.
10. Bake. Bake for 65–75 minutes, or until the pumpkin portion of the loaf is fully baked. Insert a toothpick into a pumpkin-batter section; it should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil. The cream cheese center should also be set.
11. Cool and serve. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before slicing to help the cream cheese filling set.

Notes

• Don’t skip browning the butter! It adds a rich, nutty flavor that takes this pumpkin loaf to another level.
• Use room-temperature ingredients. Make sure your cream cheese is fully softened and your egg is at room temperature. This helps prevent lumps in the cream cheese filling.
• Don’t overmix. Once you add the flour, gently fold everything together to keep the loaf soft and tender.
• Go easy on the swirl. A few passes with a butter knife are all you need. Too much swirling will blend the cream cheese into the pumpkin batter.
• Watch your baking time. Every oven is different. Start checking around 60 minutes. A loaf with a cream cheese filling may need additional time.
• Let it cool completely. The cream cheese filling needs time to set before slicing.
• Storage: Because of the cream cheese filling, store the loaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let individual slices come to room temperature before serving.
• Freezing: Wrap individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.