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This Cherry Cream Cheese Loaf is a delightful and decadent twist on a classic quick bread. It’s incredibly moist, rich, and bursting with cherry flavor.
Here is a detailed recipe based on your ingredients, complete with instructions and pro tips for success.
Cherry Cream Cheese Loaf
This recipe creates a super-moist, tender loaf with a creamy, cheesy swirl and pops of sweet cherries throughout.
Yields: 1 large loaf (about 10-12 servings)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 60-75 minutes
Cooling time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
For the Cherry Mixture:
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1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved or quartered
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Optional: 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for tossing cherries)
For the Cream Cheese Swirl:
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1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
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1/4 cup granulated sugar
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1 large egg yolk
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cake Batter:
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1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
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1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
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2 large eggs, room temperature
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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1/2 teaspoon almond extract (highly recommended!)
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2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
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1 tablespoon baking powder
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1 ½ teaspoons salt (Note: This seems high. ½ tsp is standard. See note below.)
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1 cup milk
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Pans and Preheat:
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Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan thoroughly, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the two long sides for easy removal.
2. Prepare the Cherries:
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Pit the cherries and cut them into halves or quarters. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
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(Crucial Step) In a small bowl, toss the cherry pieces with the optional 1 tablespoon of flour. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf during baking.
3. Make the Cream Cheese Swirl:
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In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the 1/4 cup sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. Set aside.
4. Make the Cake Batter:
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In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
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In another large bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, cream the softened butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar together on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
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Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla and almond extracts. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
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With the mixer on low speed, add the dry flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
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Gently fold in the flour-coated cherries with a spatula.
5. Assemble the Loaf:
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Pour about two-thirds of the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
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Carefully spoon the entire cream cheese mixture over the batter layer, spreading it evenly to the edges.
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Dollop the remaining cake batter over the cream cheese layer. Use a knife or a skewer to gently swirl the two layers together. Don’t over-swirl; you want distinct ribbons.
6. Bake:
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Bake for 60 to 75 minutes. Oven times vary greatly, so start checking at 60 minutes.
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The loaf is done when a long wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the cake part (not the cream cheese swirl) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
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The top will be a deep golden brown. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
7. Cool Completely:
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Let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Then, carefully remove it from the pan using the parchment paper overhang or by running a knife around the edges.
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Let it cool completely on the wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. This is essential for the structure to set and for clean slices.
Very Important Note on the Salt:
The ingredient list provided includes 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. This is likely a typo, as that amount is extremely high for a sweet loaf cake and would make it taste salty.
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Recommended amount: Use ½ teaspoon of salt. This will perfectly balance the sweetness without being overwhelming.
Pro Tips for Success:
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Room Temperature is Key: Ensure your cream cheese, butter, eggs, and milk are at room temperature. This allows them to emulsify properly, creating a smooth, uniform batter that bakes evenly.
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Don’t Skip Coating the Cherries: Tossing the cherries in flour is the best trick to stop them from sinking to the bottom.
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Avoid Overmixing: Once you add the flour, mix only until the streaks disappear. Overmixing develops gluten and leads to a tough, dense loaf.
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Test for Doneness: The cream cheese swirl will stay moist, so you must test the cake part with a skewer. If it comes out with wet batter, it needs more time.
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Storage: Store this loaf covered in the refrigerator due to the cream cheese. It tastes fantastic cold! Let it come to room temperature for an hour for the best texture and flavor.
