Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread
Try this delicious cranberry cream cheese bread with a creamy swirl and fresh cranberries. Perfect holiday quick bread that's moist and easy to make.
Equipment
- 9x5 inch loaf pan
- mixing bowl
- electric mixer
- whisk
- spatula
- oven
- wire rack
- knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
Bread Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, softened
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh cranberries finely chopped
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan, ensuring the flour coats all greased surfaces to prevent sticking.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until they are well combined. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened unsalted butter until it is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the whole milk and vanilla extract until just combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula or spoon just until combined and no streaks of dry flour remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough bread. Gently fold in the finely chopped fresh cranberries.
- In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar and orange zest until the mixture is smooth and creamy with no lumps.
- Spoon half of the bread batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly across the bottom. Dollop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the batter. Carefully top with the remaining bread batter, spreading it to cover the cream cheese layer. Use a butter knife or skewer to gently swirl the cream cheese through the batter a few times for a marbled effect.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out with moist crumbs attached, but no wet batter. If the top browns too quickly, you can tent it loosely with aluminum foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
- Allow the cranberry cream cheese bread to cool in the loaf pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before carefully inverting it onto the wire rack to cool completely. Slicing too soon can cause the bread to crumble.
Notes
If the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking. Allow to cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling.