Filling:
2 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 c sugar
1 t flour
1 egg
2t grated orange peel (optional)
Pumpkin Batter:
1 c canned pumpkin
½ c vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 ½ c sugar
½ t salt
½ t ground cloves
½ t cinnamon
1 2/3 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 c chopped pecans
Heat oven to 325 degrees. For filling, beat together cream cheese, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl. Add egg, mix well. Stir in orange peel, if desired; set aside.
For pumpkin batter, combine pumpkin, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in sugar, salt, cloves, & cinnamon: mix well. Stir in flour and baking soda; blend in pecans. Pour half of batter into a greased and floured 9×5” loaf pan. Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over batter. Add remaining batter, spreading to cover filling. Bake 1-1/2 hours or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; transfer bread to wire rack and cool completely. Makes 12-15 servings.
Lenora Carpenter gave me this recipe and it’s great. Be careful when you add the last layer of batter, otherwise the filling will come to the top.