For the Filling:

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel

For the Bread:

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 325°F.  Lightly grease two 8x4x3-inch loaf pans. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, flour, egg and orange peel.  Beat until smooth and creamy.  Set aside.

Into another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.  Combine the pumpkin puree, vegetable oil,  eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat well.  Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until combined.  Fold in the pecans or walnuts.

Pour half of the pumpkin bread batter evenly into the two prepared loaf pans.  Spoon the cream cheese mixture on top of pumpkin batter layer and then pour on the remaining pumpkin batter.

Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 1 hour or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean.  Cool the bread in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Makes 2 loaves

Serves 8