Sweet Potato Bread w/Cream Cheese Filling Best Quick Bread Ever w/ Video

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This old fashioned sweet potato bread with a twist, may just become your new favorite quick bread, thanks to the cream cheese. It's moist and tender with cream cheese baked in the center and on top. It tastes almost identical to cheesecake, if not, better!  If you love sweet potatoes as much as I do, then you will also love my popular sweet potato pie or my candied yams! 

This old fashioned sweet potato bread is so delicious! Just slice and serve with your morning coffee and save the rest for dessert.

FYI, Please read the entire post, and the baking tips below before you begin this recipe.

Seriously, sweet potato bread and cream cheese goes so well together.  I decided to make this recipe because I needed to use up my mashed sweet potato, plus I love a good sweet potato dessert. I just knew an easy southern quick bread would be a perfect way to use up the mashed potatoes.

This sweet potato bread tastes like something you've spent all day making. I'm literally eating a slice as I write this post! It's sooooo GOOD! Somebody come snatch this out of my hand because this bread is dangerous! 

With the winter season upon us, the tidal wave of pumpkin spiced treats has taken over our grocery store shelves. Now, I don’t have any hard feelings against pumpkins, or pumpkin spice, it’s loved for good reason.

However, I do feel like it overshadows many of the other Fall delicacies - especially the sweet potato! If you have never tried adding mashed sweet potato to your quick bread, you are missing out. This sweet potato bread recipe tastes perfect! 

Instead of making everything pumpkin-related this season, try this recipe out. I know it will change your mind on the humble sweet potato. 

Why this sweet potato bread recipe works?

• With all the different spices mixed into this sweet potato bread recipe, you get a lovely warm feeling with every bite. Perfect for the chilly weather!
  
  
• The cream cheese adds a nice richness to the sweet potato bread, balancing out the warm flavors from the spices.
  
  
• You can even add in some walnuts and raisins. Sometimes, we add a little extra crunch and sweetness to the bread, having even more layers of flavor and texture. 

What are the Ingredients for Sweet Potato Bread?

Sweet Potato Bread: 

• egg: For best results, use room temperature eggs 
• mashed sweet potato: Pro tip: Microwave the cold or room temp mashed sweet potatoes until warm. The warm potatoes mixes much easier this way. 
• sugar: Can't forget sugar. I used granulated white sugar 
• butter: For flavor  
• vanilla extract: Great for additional flavor 
• buttermilk: Use buttermilk for a little tang and flavor 
• spices (cinnamon & nutmeg)
• salt: Just needs a little salt to balance out the flavors
• flour: Use all purpose bleached flour
• baking soda & baking powder: Helps the bread to rise

To make the cream cheese layer, you'll need

• Cream Cheese: Softened to room temp (A MUST) Do not use cold cream cheese! It's too hard to mix and will result in lumpy cream cheese filling. (I used Philadelphia Cream Cheese)
• Powdered sugar: I prefer to use powdered sugar to sweet the cream cheese filling. 
• Vanilla extract: For Flavor  
• Eggs: Use Room temperature large egg 
• Powdered Sugar: 
• cream cheese: Use room temp block style cream cheese 

Cream Cheese Filling:

1. In a separate bowl, with an electric hand mixer on high, mix the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and egg. Whisk about 2-3 minus or until everything is well combined.  
2. Set to the side, while preparing the bread batter.
   
   

How do you make sweet potato bread cream cheese bread?

I've always loved old fashioned sweet potato bread but when it's combined with cream cheese on my my my, it's SOOO much better. This is the only way I will ever make sweet potato bread. The southern recipe with a twist is super simple. Before you begin prep all of your ingredients. This will make the process smooth and simple. Make sure you use room temperature milk and eggs and use your own homemade sweet potato puree. Do not used the canned stuff. 

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan with spray oil and flour or, for easy removal, line the pan with parchment paper then spray with oil. 
   
   
2. In a large bowl whisk all the wet ingredients plus spices: egg, mashed sweet potatoes, melted butter, buttermilk, white sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla extract. 
   
   
3. In the same bowl add the dry ingredients, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix with a whisk or silicone spatula. Repeat this step until you have mixed the dry and wet ingredients. Do not over mix.  
   
4. Pour half of the sweet potato batter into the greased loaf pan, spreading it out evenly. Then add (use half) dollops of the cream cheese filling on top of the sweet potato batter. 
   
   
5. Using a spoon or spatula, carefully put the remaining sweet potato batter on top of the cream cheese filling and add dollops of the remaining cream cheese filling on top. See video on how to make it. 
   
   
6. Bake the sweet potato bread for about 60 mins to 75 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean with a few crumbs.  
   
   
7. Once it’s done baking, take it out of the oven and let if cool for about 30-60 minutes before slicing it. 
   
   
8. Serve sweet potato bread with a nice hot cup of coffee and enjoy!

TIPS TO MAKE SWEET POTATO BREAD CREAM CHEESE BREAD

To make this sweet potato bread follow the recipe to the "T". Here are some tips to make it. 

• Loaf pan:  Use 5″x9″ loaf pan. Using something smaller will take longer to bake. Using something larger will change the shape of the loaf. 
• Assemble:  After you have added the cream cheese, put the loaf into the oven right away. If you wait too long, the bread may have problems rising. 
• Let the old fashioned sweet potato bread cool for at least 30-60 minutes before you slice it. 
• For the best flavor, use REAL fresh mashed sweet potato. Do not use the canned sweet potatoes.