Blackberry Cream Cheese Bread

I have a granddaughter, Claira Ruth, who LOVES cream cheese like I do!

When she and her family came to visit a few weeks ago, I made this bread, especially for her and me.  We gobbled it up...for breakfast, for lunch, for snack. 

Thanks to Judy at The Southern Lady Cooks 

for this one, whose recipes are ever popular and always a hit!!

It's easy and delicious.  I had originally planned to use fresh raspberries, but had picked up some blackberries at our new Farmer's Market in town, so blackberries it was. But you could use any fruit you'd like.  Peaches would be yummy too....especially with the cream cheese.

This is an awesome bread...doncha just LOVE those chunks of white cream cheese showing through? OH.MY!!!!

We sure did.

The only changes I made were to use white whole wheat flour instead of all purpose, and I didn't soften the cream cheese first, but cut it into chunks while it was still cold.  It softened while I mixed the rest of the ingredients.  

BLACKBERRY CREAM CHEESE BREAD

1 (8 ozs) pkg. cream cheese, still cold
1/2 c. butter or margarine
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1-3/4 c. white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt 
2 tsp. lemon zest
(I think lime would be good also!)
2/3 c. buttermilk
2 c. fresh or frozen blackberries

Unwrap cream cheese, and cut into chunks while it's still cold (about 12 pieces...you want larger chunks). Let it stand and soften while you combine the remaining ingredients. 

Preheat oven to 350*. Spray 9" X 5" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

In large bowl, cream butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs with mixer. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and lemon zest.  Add dry ingredients to creamed ingredients, adding buttermilk; mix until combined.  Fold in blackberries by hand, then gently add the cream cheese to the flour mixture. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, checking by placing a toothpick in the middle to see if it's done.  Cool a few minutes; remove from pan. Cool to room temperature; drizzle with glaze if desired.  (We loved it without).

Yield: 1 loaf 

Glaze: Optional

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tb. milk

Linked to Weekend Potluck
GBP Roundup - Favorite Muffins and Quick Breads