For the cream cheese swirl:

• 4oz cream cheese, softened
• 3 tbs sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)

For the pumpkin bread:

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 can of pumpkin puree
• 1/2 (or 1 stick) butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x4" loaf baking pan.

To make the cream cheese swirl, blend all four ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth. Set aside.

To make the pumpkin bread, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, mix the pumpkin puree, butter, egg, milk, and vanilla on low speed until smooth. Gradually add in the dry mixture, a little at a time. Mix until well incorporated and no dry flour remains.

In your prepared baking dish, spoon 1/3 of your pumpkin bread batter into the pan. Spoon half of your cream cheese mixture over it and do your best to spread it evenly (using a pastry bag would make this tidy but I just used a regular spatula!). Add 1/3 more of the pumpkin bread batter, and repeat the cream cheese mix to use it up. Top with the last of your pumpkin bread batter.

Optional: using a toothpick, chopstick, or sharp knife, create a swirl design in the top of your pumpkin bread! Go ahead, get fancy.

Bake for 1 hour or until a tester comes out clean. Let cool, slice, and enjoy! Just don't forget the tea.