INGREDIENTS: filling
- 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp milk
INGREDIENTS: bread
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 cup water
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped dates
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 Tbsp 2% milk
- Additional chopped walnuts
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 8 × 4-inch loaf pans.
- In a small bowl, beat filling ingredients until smooth.
- In a large bowl, beat sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and water until well blended.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, pie spice, soda, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and cloves; gradually beat into pumpkin mixture. Stir in walnuts, raisins and dates.
- Pour half of the batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Spoon filling over batter. Cover filling completely with remaining batter.
- Bake for 65 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in bread portion comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
- Wrap in foil; refrigerate until serving.
- Just before serving, if desired, in a small bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and enough milk to reach a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over bread; sprinkle with walnuts.
YIELD: 3 loaves (16 slices each)