Description
Moist quick bread featuring cream cheese for richness and tart cranberries for bright flavor. This recipe makes two beautiful loaves perfect for holiday entertaining or gift-giving.
Ingredients
For the Loaf:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (I love Philadelphia brand!)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen; if frozen, do not thaw)
Friendly Notes:
- Room temperature is KEY: Make sure your butter, cream cheese, and eggs are at room temperature. This ensures everything blends smoothly and creates that perfect tender crumb.
- Fresh vs. Frozen: Both work beautifully! If using frozen cranberries, add them straight from the freezer—no thawing needed.
- Sugar Substitution: You can use half white sugar and half light brown sugar for a slightly deeper flavor.
Instructions
Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Generously grease two 9×5-inch loaf pans with butter or nonstick spray. Don’t skip this step—you want these beauties to release perfectly! I like to grease, then dust with a little flour for extra insurance.
In a large bowl, beat together the room temperature butter, cream cheese, and sugar using your hand mixer or stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This step is crucial—it incorporates air and creates that tender texture we’re after!
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This helps create a stable emulsion and prevents the batter from curdling. After all four eggs are incorporated, mix in the vanilla extract. Your batter should look smooth and creamy at this point.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. This distributes the leavening evenly throughout the flour, so you get consistent rise and texture in every bite.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients gradually, mixing on low speed just until you can’t see any more flour streaks. Don’t overmix! Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and can make your loaf tough instead of tender. A few lumps are totally fine.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the cranberries until they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter. Use a folding motion rather than stirring to keep the batter light and airy.
Divide the batter evenly between your two prepared loaf pans. I like to use a kitchen scale to make sure they’re equal, but eyeballing works too! Smooth the tops with your spatula. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Let the loaves cool in their pans for at least 15 minutes—this helps them set and makes them easier to unmold. Then turn them out onto a wire rack and let them cool completely before slicing. I know it’s tempting to cut into them while warm, but trust me, they slice SO much better when cool!
Notes
- Prevent over-browning: If your loaf tops are getting too dark before they’re done in the middle, tent them loosely with aluminum foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
- Test for doneness properly: Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf, not near the edges. It should come out clean or with a few moist (not wet) crumbs.
- Even baking: Place your loaf pans in the center of the oven, not touching each other or the oven walls, for the most even heat circulation.
- Common mistake to avoid: Don’t open the oven door before 55 minutes of baking time. The sudden temperature drop can cause your loaves to sink in the middle!
- Smart shortcut: No stand mixer? No problem! You can use a hand mixer or even mix by hand with a wooden spoon—it’ll just take a bit more elbow grease to get that butter and cream cheese fluffy.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60-70 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American