This Aunt Millie’s Old-Fashioned Cherry Cream Cheese Loaf is a tender, bakery-style quick bread filled with sweet cherries and rich cream cheese swirls. It’s a nostalgic favorite—perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy afternoon treat.
Ingredients
For the loaf
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained and patted dry
For the cream cheese swirl
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and pan
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper. - Mix dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. - Cream butter and sugar
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract. - Add sour cream and flour
Mix in the sour cream until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Gently fold in the chopped cherries. - Prepare the cream cheese filling
In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. - Assemble the loaf
Spread half of the cherry batter into the prepared pan. Spoon the cream cheese mixture evenly over the batter. Top with the remaining batter and gently swirl with a knife. - Bake
Bake for 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil. - Cool and serve
Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
✨ Tip: For extra cherry flavor, sprinkle a few chopped cherries on top before baking.
