The Very Best Pumpkin Bread Ever

This bread is OUT OF CONTROL AMAZING!!! So so so yummy! Pumpkin, cream cheese, buttermilk and a cinnamon topping?! The answer is YES to all! I have made this bread twice in the past two weeks. Yep, two times! It is so delicious I do not think I will ever make another pumpkin bread....I don't think it can be topped!!

This recipe is from America's Test Kitchen. If you aren't familiar with this blog/cookbook then you should check it out! They try each recipe many many times using different ingredients and cooking methods before they decide on the perfect one - and they always get it right. This one is certainly no different. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Here is the recipe verbatim (and follow all the steps including cooking the pumpkin down on the stove top):

Topping:
5 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt

Bread:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 (15‑ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar
1/2  cup vegetable oil
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 12 pieces
4 large eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped fine

1. For the topping: Using fingers, mix all ingredients together in bowl until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand.

2. For the bread: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two
8 1/2 by 4 1/2‑inch loaf pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in bowl.

3. Cook pumpkin puree, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 6 to 8 minutes. Off heat, stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and cream cheese until combined. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until no visible pieces of cream cheese remain and mixture is homogeneous.

4. Whisk eggs and buttermilk together in separate bowl, then whisk into pumpkin mixture. Gently fold in flour mixture until combined (some small lumps of flour are OK). Fold in walnuts. Scrape batter into prepared pans, smooth tops, and sprinkle evenly with topping. Bake until skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking.

5. Let loaves cool in pans for 20 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and let cool for 1 1/2 hours before serving.