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Perfect Blueberry Cream Cheese Loaf for Spring Brunches

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A moist, tender blueberry loaf with a luscious cream cheese swirl, perfect for spring brunches. This easy recipe comes together in about 15 minutes of prep and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (120ml) milk (whole milk preferred)
  • 1 ½ cups (about 200g) fresh blueberries (or frozen, not thawed)
  • 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened (full-fat block)
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for cream cheese swirl)
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for cream cheese swirl)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (for cream cheese swirl)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides. Grease exposed sides.
  2. Make the cream cheese swirl: In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with ¼ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth. Set aside.
  3. Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
  4. Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat softened butter with 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Scrape down sides.
  5. Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in eggs one at a time, then add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix until combined.
  6. Alternate dry and wet: With mixer on low, add one-third of flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Add half of the milk, mix. Repeat with another third of flour, remaining milk, and last of flour. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Fold in blueberries: Gently fold in blueberries with a rubber spatula until just distributed. Do not overmix.
  8. Layer batter and swirl: Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture over batter. Top with remaining batter. Run a butter knife through in a figure-eight pattern to create swirl.
  9. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Tent with foil after 40 minutes if browning too quickly.
  10. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Lift out using parchment sling and cool completely on rack before slicing.

Notes

For best results, use full-fat block cream cheese. Toss blueberries in 1 tablespoon flour before folding to prevent sinking. Let loaf cool completely before slicing to avoid crumbling. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: blueberry cream cheese loaf, spring brunch, blueberry loaf, cream cheese swirl, quick bread, easy baking

Find it online: https://forkifyfun.com/perfect-blueberry-cream-cheese-loaf-for-spring-brunches/