Pumpkin Cheese Bread

Filling:
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1/2 c white sugar
1 Tbs flour
1 egg
1 Tbs orange zest

Bread:
1 2/3 baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 c pumpkin purée
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 c white sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325*. Lightly grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans, or one Bundt pan.

2. In a medium bowl, combine filling ingredients and beat until smooth. Set aside. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.

3. Place pumpkin, vegetable oil, eggs and sugar in a large bowl; beat well. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the pecans if desired. Pour 1/2 of the pumpkin batter into the loaf pans. Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of this layer and then pour on the remaining batter.

4. Bake in oven for 60-70 min or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool bread in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.