Cranberry Almond Cream Cheese Bread

By dmarquardt

Ingredients

• 1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 2 C. all-purpose flour
• 1 C. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 c. apple juice
• 1/4 c. butter, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 c. coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
• sliced almonds (optional, to taste)

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease bottom only of 9x5 bread loaf pan with shortening; lightly flour. In small bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg; blend well. Set aside.
In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in apple juice, butter, vanilla extract, almond extract and beaten egg until well blended. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Spoon half of batter into pan. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over batter. Top with remaining batter and swirl batter with a knife a few times (to swirl the cream cheese through the batter). Sprinkle almonds over the top (optional).
Bake 65 to 75 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator.