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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHAT YOU GET: My blueberry cream cheese quick bread is the perfect easy summer quick bread, made with cream cheese to guarantee a dense crumb and juicy, plump blueberries.
Summertime means a surplus of blueberries, either from pick-your-own adventures or the irresistible urge to buy-one-get-one from the grocery store. If you’re looking for a recipe to use extra ripe blueberries, or blueberries not picked at their prime, this Blueberry Cream Cheese Loaf is the perfect recipe!
This recipe is a quick and easy quick bread recipe — and I mean that. Prepping the batter, chock full of blueberries, takes no time at all, and just as much effort.
I particularly love cream cheese in quick bread, too. The cream cheese lends a creamy texture and gives you a pleasing, dense, moist crumb. The slight tang from the cream cheese also goes perfectly with the bursting sweet blueberries!
Pair a slice of this blueberry cream cheese bread with a cup of coffee for a fantastic summer breakfast, or serve it alongside your afternoon tea.
What Cream Cheese Should I Use For Baking?
When I test my recipes, I always find that the best cream cheese for baking is the kind that comes in a brick. Typically, I use a block of Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese, which comes in a silver cardboard box.
While using the cream cheese in the tub is great for spreading on a Homemade New York-Style Bagel, it’s not so great for baking. Cream cheese in brick form is much easier to measure and has the texture I am looking for.
Can I Use Frozen Blueberries In Quick Bread?
Yes, you can use frozen blueberries to make blueberry cream cheese quick bread. If using frozen, there’s no need to thaw them, just use them straight from the freezer. Also, be sure you still toss them with a bit of flour before adding them to your batter!
Why Do You Toss Blueberries In Flour For Baking?
Before you add your blueberries to your batter, give them a toss in flour (in this case, toss 1 cup of blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour.) But why should you coat your blueberries in flour? It keeps your blueberries from sinking into your batter and ending up only at the bottom of your loaf.
Flouring your blueberries ensures you can get a blueberry in every bite of your loaf. The theory is that this coating will absorb some of the berries’ liquid, but some say that it helps thicken the batter a tad more.
How Do I Soften Cream Cheese?
This recipe works best if all your ingredients are at room temperature, especially your cream cheese. If your cream cheese is too cold, it will be too lumpy. I will take my cream cheese out of the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before I start working on the batter.
If I misjudged my time, I will warm the cream cheese up with my hands (while still in the foil packaging, please) or use my microwave. You do not want to cook your cream cheese, so I suggest microwaving it 10 to 15 seconds at a time until it reaches room temp.
Keep in mind these aren’t as reliable as good old-fashioned waiting around.
Tools You Need To Make A Blueberry Cream Cheese Loaf
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Stand mixer or handheld electric mixer
- 9×5-inch (12½x 25½-cm) loaf pan
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Blueberry Cream Cheese Quick Loaf
- Always ensure that all your ingredients are at room temperature before you start.
- Cream cheese will be lumpy in the batter if not completely softened.
- Once you add the flour, mix until just combined for the most tender loaf. Try not to overmix!
- If the top of your bread starts to brown too much before the bread is done, loosely cover with foil and continue baking until done.
- Try this with other berries, like raspberries or blackberries, in the same amount if you want to try something different! Blackberries can be large, but you can gently cut them in half.
- Try a slice spread with a little Homemade Lemon Curd!
Try These Recipes!
Blueberry Cream Cheese Quick Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) fresh blueberries
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (6 oz/170 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and butter and line with parchment a 9x5-inch (12½x 25½-cm) loaf pan. Set aside.
- Place the blueberries in a small bowl and toss with the tablespoon of flour. Set aside.
- In another bowl, mix the remaining cup flour together with the baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or with a medium bowl and handheld electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and lemon zest together on medium-high until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract, then the eggs, one at a time.
- Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined, then mix in the blueberries.
- Scrape into the prepared pan and bake for about 65 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Hi Gemma, I love so many of your recipes and make them regularly. Does the blueberry cream cheese quick bread freeze?
I never eat shop bought bread now ❤️
Perfect recipe. It came out v well . Thank you dear Gemma. Everyone loved it . The blend of the flavours and also the texture was wonderful .👍🏻
You are a Gem, dear Gemma 🥰
Awesome, awesome, awesome! I also prepare this with red and black currents and with blackberries. Love it! 🙂
Hi….was surprised this only had one cup of flour…the batter amount seemed small for a regular loaf and the loaf did turn out not as high as usual. Still very good though!
Gemma,
Would frozen blueberries work in this recipe? Thanks!
I made this delicious blueberry cream cheese bread and it was amazing thank you soooooo much for the recipe
Made this delicious blueberry bread this early this morning so my kids and I could have it fresh and warm for breakfast with coffee and tea. It turned out perfect, with a wonderful crumb and crust. Got two thumbs up from the kids, Thanks Gemma!
Hi Gemma, I tried this recipe today and it is delicious but it didn’t rise. I’m in England and I couldn’t find the type of cream cheese you described, so I used Philly, do you think this is the reason it didn’t raise?