Ah, a Cream Cheese Cranberry Loaf—perfectly moist, slightly tart from the cranberries, and with a creamy, dreamy center. Here’s a full recipe:
Ingredients
For the loaf:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries (if frozen, don’t thaw)
For the cream cheese swirl:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Prep
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan (or line with parchment).
2. Make the cream cheese filling
- In a small bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
3. Make the batter
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, mix melted butter, sugar, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined.
- Gently fold in cranberries.
4. Assemble the loaf
- Pour half the batter into the prepared pan.
- Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over the batter.
- Top with the remaining batter, smoothing lightly.
- Optional: swirl a knife through the top for a marbled effect.
5. Bake
- Bake 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake (not the cream cheese) comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Serve
- Slice thick, serve plain or lightly dusted with powdered sugar.
Tips
- Make it festive: Add orange zest to the batter for a bright citrus flavor.
- For extra crunch: Sprinkle chopped pecans on top before baking.
- Storage: Keeps well covered at room temp for 2–3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
If you want, I can also give a quick “one-bowl, no-mixer” version that’s perfect for busy mornings or a last-minute dessert.
Do you want me to do that?
