Ah, Cranberry Cream Cheese Loaf—a sweet, tangy, and creamy quick bread perfect for breakfast, brunch, or tea 🍞🍒🧀. It has a tender, moist crumb with swirls of rich cream cheese and bursts of tart cranberries. Here’s a full recipe:
🍒 Cranberry Cream Cheese Loaf
Ingredients (1 loaf)
For the Loaf Batter:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk or milk
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
For the Cream Cheese Swirl:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Preheat oven
- Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
2. Make the cream cheese filling
- In a bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
3. Prepare the batter
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, mix eggs, oil, vanilla, and buttermilk.
- Gradually combine wet and dry ingredients until just blended.
- Fold in cranberries gently.
4. Assemble the loaf
- Pour half the batter into the prepared pan.
- Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the batter.
- Top with remaining batter.
- Optional: gently swirl with a knife for a marbled effect.
5. Bake
- Bake 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (avoid the cream cheese swirl area).
- Let cool 10–15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.
6. Serve
- Slice and enjoy plain, or with butter, honey, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Tips for Perfect Cranberry Cream Cheese Loaf
- Cranberries: Toss frozen cranberries in a little flour to prevent them from sinking.
- Swirl effect: Use a butter knife to gently swirl the cream cheese layer for a marbled look.
- Moisture: Buttermilk keeps the loaf tender; don’t overmix the batter.
- Make-ahead: Wrap cooled loaf tightly; it stays fresh 3–4 days at room temp or longer in the fridge.
If you want, I can give a “cranberry-orange cream cheese loaf” version with orange zest, a tangy glaze, and extra bursts of flavor—basically a bright, festive upgrade perfect for holidays or brunch.
Do you want me to do that?
