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

This post may contain affiliate links. See my full disclosure here.

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. This quick bread almost identical to cheesecake, if not, better!  Looking for more sweet potato recipes? Then try my sweet potato pie or my candied yams

A picture of slices of sweet potato bread on a plate

This old fashioned sweet potato bread is so delicious! Just slice and serve with your morning coffee and save the rest for dessert. It’s also perfect for the holiday seasons. You should go ahead and make a double batch because this quick bread will disappear fast! 

NEVER MISS A RECIPE

Join our newsletter and stay up to date on all the newest recipes guaranteed to add a burst of flavor to your inbox.

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 Moist Sweet Potato Bread?

Sweet Potato Bread: 

  • Large eggs: For best results, use room temperature eggs 
  • Sweet potato puree: 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. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use sour cream. 
  • warm spices (1 tsp of cinnamon & some 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg)
  • salt: Just needs a little salt to balance out the flavors (1/4 tsp salt)
  • flour: Use all purpose 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. Mix about 2-3 minus or until everything is well combined.  
  2. Set to the side, while preparing the bread batter.

    Slices of old fashioned sweet potato bread with cream cheese on a plate

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.   This fluffy quick bread with a twist is great recipe that I know you’ll enjoy.

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. Heat oven to 350F and grease a 9×5 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 prepared 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 rubber 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 loaf 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. 
Slices of old fashioned sweet potato bread with cream cheese on a plate

Best Sweet Potato Bread

April Boller Wright
This Old Fashioned Sweet potato bread with a twist is so moist and tender with cream cheese baked in the center and on top. It tastes almost identical to cheesecake, if not, better!  
5 from 1 vote
Cook Time 1 hour
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American, Southern, Southern American
Servings 10 people

Ingredients
  

Sweet Potato Bread

  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup mashed sweet potato
  • 1 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 4 tbsp melted unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract Yes one tbsp. I used Watkins Pure Vanilla Extract Extra Rich https://amzn.to/32kw2At
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk plus additional 3tbsp
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

Cream Cheese

  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 8 oz cream cheese I used Philadelphia Cream Cheese
  • 1 large egg

Instructions
 

Sweet Potato Bread

  • Preheat the oven to 350F and grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan.. 
  • In a large-sized bowl whisk the egg, mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, melted butter, buttermilk, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla extract. 
  • Next, add the salt, flour, baking soda and baking powder to the bowl with sweet potato mix. Mix with a whisk or silicone spatula. Do not over mix.  

Cream Cheese Mixture

  • In a bowl, with an electric hand mixer, mix the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and egg until smooth. Set to the side.

Sweet Potato Batter Mix

  • Pour half of the sweet potato batter into a greased loaf pan, spreading it out evenly. Then add (use half) dollops of the cream cheese filling on top of the sweet potato batter. 
  • 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. Bake the sweet potato bread for about 60 mins to 75 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean. A few crumbs is okay.
  • Let bread cool for about 30-60 minutes before slicing it. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Baking Tips: 

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. 
 
To make this old fashioned sweet potato bread follow the recipe to the “T”. Here are some tips to make it. 
The video starts out with me making the sweet potato mixture, however, if this is your first time making this sweet potato bread recipe or just a new baker, I recommend that you make the cream cheese mixture first because you need to put the loaf in the oven right away. If the batter is sitting too long (while it’s waiting for you to finish the cream cheese mix)  it may not rise properly. 
  • mashed sweet potato: Pro tip: Microwave the cold or room temp mashed sweet potatoes until warm. The warm potatoes mixes much easier this way. 
  • 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 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. 
Keyword old fashioned sweet potato bread, sweet potato bread, sweet potato bread recipe, sweet potato cream cheese bread
Like this? Leave a comment below!Let us know how it was!

You may also like these quick breads: 

If you love this sweet potato bread recipe then you’ll love my banana cream cheese bread too!  Banana Cream Cheese Quick Bread 

 Blueberry corn muffins

Blueberry muffin

Banana bread 

 

 

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

4 Comments

  1. April…Perfectly delicious and moist sweet potato bread, melt iin the mouth texture. I did not add the extra 3T of buttermilk and I only had 4 oz of cream cheese. But it all worked. This would make a wonderful gift! The parchment lined loaf pan is a great idea. So easy to lift out.5 stars

    1. Thank you so much! This is my favorite way to make quick bread! Yes! Gifting this is a fantastic idea!!

  2. You did not state how much salt to add.