Cream Cheese Cranberry Loaf
the loaf’s irresistible charm lies in its perfect marriage of flavors. The cream cheese adds a richness that’s hard to beat, making each slice satisfyingly moist. Then, those cranberries pop in with their tart notes, cutting through the richness just right. It’s a dance of flavors in your mouth—one that you don’t want to miss out on.
Ingredients:
1 cup (c.) butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1.5 cups (c.) sugar
1.5 teaspoons (tsp) vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 cups (c.) all-purpose flour
1.5 teaspoons (tsp) baking powder
0.5 teaspoon (tsp) salt
2 cups (c.) fresh or frozen cranberries
0.5 cup (c.) chopped pecans (optional)
Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, cream together butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Incorporate eggs one at a time, ensuring each is well mixed.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually blend this into the creamy mixture. Gently fold in cranberries and pecans.
Divide the batter into two greased 9×5 inch loaf pans. Bake for 45-60 minutes at 350°F. Alternatively, use four mini loaf pans and bake for 40 minutes.Note: Initially, this recipe suggested a single loaf pan baked for 90 minutes. However, feedback led to a modification for two loaf pans. Both one and two loaf pan methods work, but two pans are more reliable. Adjust baking time to 50-60 minutes. Mini loaf pans also yield great results.
