Cream Cheese Cranberry Swirl Loaf

Ingredients

For the Loaf:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sour cream

For the Cranberry Swirl:
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
- 1 cup whole fresh cranberries

For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour.

2. Cream the Butter and Cream Cheese:
In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 cup of softened butter and 1 cup of cream cheese together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. Add Sugars and Mix:
Gradually add 1¼ cups brown sugar and ¾ cup white sugar, continuing to beat until well combined.

4. Incorporate Eggs and Extracts:
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon of almond extract until thoroughly mixed.

5. Combine Dry Ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt.

6. Mix the Batter:
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with ¾ cup sour cream, starting and ending with the flour. Mix just until combined. Do not overmix.

7. Prepare the Cranberry Swirl:
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of cranberry sauce with 1 cup of whole fresh cranberries.

8. Layer the Batter and Cranberry Swirl:
Spoon half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spread the cranberry swirl mixture evenly over the batter. Top with the remaining batter, smoothing the top with a spatula.

9. Bake:
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.

10. Cool:
Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

11. Prepare the Glaze:
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon until smooth.

12. Glaze the Loaf:
Once the loaf is completely cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top. Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Total Time

PT1H30M
1 hour and 30 minutes

Type of Dish

Dessert

Keywords

Cream Cheese Loaf, Cranberry Dessert, Swirl Cake, Holiday Baking, Cream Cheese Recipe, Cranberry Sauce, Sweet Bread, Dessert Loaf, Festive Baking, Oven Baked

Recipe Yield

Feeds 4 adults

Calories

Total: 3,200 Calories for the entire dish

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