Bring on Fall! Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread with Cream Cheese Swirl

Fall is just around the corner and I can't wait to begin baking away in my kitchen.  First up will be my favorite pumpkin recipe to date.  I found this recipe last fall in the Mixing Bowl magazine.  Enjoy!

 Here is the recipe to this yummy fall delight.  I got it from mixingbowl.com magazine on shelves now.  If you love to bake, bake, bake, you have got to get this magazine.  There is just so much yumminess in it.  This was the first of a zillion recipes I plan on trying.

4 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 12 ounce package (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts (so optional . . . i don't add this)

1 cup butter, softened

1 29 ounce can pumpkin

3 cups sugar

4 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons vanilla flavoring

Cream Cheese filling:

2 (8 oz pkg each) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla

1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans with parchment paper.  Coat paper with cooking spray.  (I did not do the parchment paper thing)  I always use Baker's Joy cooking spray for my baking, although my store just discontinued it so I now use Pillsbury Baking Spray with Flour.  I am crazy and turn my stuff over immediately onto cooling rack after taking out of oven.  Don't do, if you are afraid it will fall apart ;-)  In a large bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soada, and salt.  Add chocolate chips and if desired, nuts.  (Tossing nuts and chips in flour will keep them from sinking during baking).

2)  In a mixing bowl, combine butter, pumpkin, sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.  Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until combined.

3)  In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, 2 egg yolks and vanilla.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.

4)  Spread 1/2 of pumpkin batter into each prepared pan, divided equally.  Carefully spread cheese mixture over batter in pans.  Top with remaining batter.  If desired, using a spatula, cut through the batter and cheese mixture to swirl.  Bake for 65 - 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean.  Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes.  Remove loaves from pans.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Makes 2 LARGE loaves (32 slices).  I actually had enough batter left for another smaller loaf, without the swirl.