ORANGE CREAM CHEESE LOAF
Not so sure this is really “bread”, and is a loaf really a cake, but in the interest of a nice slice with a mid-afternoon cup of coffee, let’s call it cake. This lovely, almost delicate treat is enough, all by itself, to bring back that mid-afternoon ritual. The recipe makes 2 loaves, and it freezes well. Slow down—have a slice!
- 1-8 oz pkg of cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup butter
- 1 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 ¼ cup flour
- 1 tblsp baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tblsp orange zest
- Glaze
- 2 tblsp orange juice
- 2-3 tblsp confectioners sugar
Cream butter and cream cheese, mixing well. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy—then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Whisk together flour and baking powder. Alternately, gradually add flour then milk to cream cheese mixture—beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in orange zest.
Pour batter into two 8 ½ by 4 ½ loaf pans lined with parchment paper—butter pans to help paper stick. Bake at 375’ for about 55 minutes—until toothpick comes out clean from center of loaf. Top should be almost dark brown with a crack down the center. Cool for about 30 minutes. Combine orange juice and confectioners sugar until smooth and fairly thick and pourable. Fold back parchment and pour glaze over loaves.
The Kitchen Hive
