Caramel Cream Cheese Bread (Printable)

Moist tender bread swirled with rich cream cheese and sweet caramel, delivering a cheesecake-like center in every slice.

# 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 granulated sugar
10 - 1 large egg

→ Topping

11 - 1/4 cup caramel sauce

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 1-pound loaf pans with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
03 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat eggs, milk, and vegetable oil until well 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 together until smooth and creamy.
07 - Spoon cream cheese mixture in a line down the center of the batter in each loaf pan.
08 - Spread remaining batter over cream cheese layer, gently covering it completely while leaving at least 1 inch at the top for rising.
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 without overworking the mixture.
10 - Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with some cream cheese residue acceptable.
11 - Allow loaves to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cream cheese center bakes into a cheesecake-like ribbon that stays creamy and rich.
  • It comes together in one hour with everyday pantry staples and no fancy techniques.
  • Each slice looks bakery-perfect with minimal effort, making it ideal for gifting or impressing guests.
02 -
  • Do not overfill the pans, leave at least one inch of space at the top or the batter will spill over and bake onto your oven floor.
  • Softening the cream cheese to room temperature is essential, cold cream cheese will not blend smoothly and creates lumps in the filling.
  • Swirl the caramel gently with just two or three strokes, overswirling blends it into the batter and you lose the beautiful ribbon effect.
03 -
  • Use a light hand when folding the dry ingredients into the wet, the batter should look a little lumpy and that is exactly what you want for a tender crumb.
  • Line the bottom of your loaf pans with parchment paper for foolproof release, especially if you plan to gift the loaves whole.
  • Let the loaves cool completely before slicing or the cream cheese filling will smear and the slices will fall apart, patience pays off here.
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