I’m so excited to tell you about my Cloud Topped Pumpkin Loaf. I think I may have come up with a totally new dessert! But I guess I have to admit that this all happened by accident. It’s all because I completely messed up the idea I had, failed horribly, total embarrassment to bakers. I hope none of my old pastry instructors read this blog.

Cloud Topped Pumpkin Loaf 7

So my original idea was to make a pumpkin loaf with a marble cream cheese swirl, kind of like the Chocolate Cheesecake marbled cupcakes, sometimes called Black Bottom Cupcakes. It seemed really easy in my head, just use a pumpkin bread recipe I like, and then swirl in the cream cheese batter. The cupcakes are easy and this should be even easier in a loaf pan. Sigh…

It’s been a long time since I’ve used that pumpkin bread recipe. I started mixing it and then realized it was a really wet batter. I think using fresh pumpkin puree is even looser then canned pumpkin, worsening the problem. How was I going to drop the cream cheese batter into this? It’s heavier so it will probably just all sink to the bottom. That’s what I thought…

pumpkin batter in pan

I whipped the cream cheese mixture in attempt to lighten it, then dropped a few globs of the cream cheese mixture and stuck the butter knife in to make swirls. The whole time, I thought to myself, ugh….this is all just going to sink to the bottom. I baked it anyway because well… what would I do with raw wet batter? After 50 minutes. I checked and saw a beautiful fluffy cream cracked top. I touched it lightly and it was puffy. Wow, totally not what I expected. The toothpick test revealed that the cake bottom was not cooked through yet so I lowered the temperature (because the top seemed cooked) and continued baking.

Cloud Topped Pumpkin Loaf in pan

When it was done, I was still wondering what it would look like inside. Would there by any marbling? I was in total shock…what I thought would sink to the bottom actually floated to the top. The resulting loaf is so unique ( unless this dessert is common in some country I’m not aware of). The bottom of the cake tastes like pumpkin bread but the super moist texture reminds me of Chinese steamed cakes (when warm), as opposed to baked cakes. The top tastes like cheesecake but it’s light and puffy, almost like a richer, cheesecake flavored meringue. Then, if you refrigerate it, it starts tasting more like a pumpkin bread with cheesecake on top.

Cloud Topped Pumpkin Loaf 6

This would be a killer Thanksgiving dessert if you’re looking for something different, very different.

Cloud Topped Pumpkin Loaf
~One 9×5 loaf

pumpkin batter

  • 7.5 ounces fresh pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2  cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

cream cheese cloud

  • 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Instructions –

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9×5 loaf pan with non-stick spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, oil, water, sugar. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, just until combined. Pour into loaf pan.

4. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth. Beat in sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down in the middle. Beat in egg. Stir in flour.

5. Drop the batter in 6 large drops onto the pumpkin batter.

6. Bake immediately for 50 minutes. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees F and continue baking for another 30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Loosen all the edges and remove from pan carefully. It’s quite delicate. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve warm for one version. Serve after refrigerating for a different texture. (Descriptions above, before the recipe.)

Cloud Topped Pumpkin Loaf sliced 2

posted by jessica at 10:04 AM Filed under Desserts, Holidays, Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.