Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans.

Combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 egg and orange zest in a medium bowl; beat until smooth. Set aside.

Sift together 1 2/3 cups flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.

Place pumpkin, vegetable oil, 2 eggs and 1 1/2 cups 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.

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean, about 60 to 70 minutes. Cool bread in pans briefly before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.