Blueberry Cream Cheese Loaf

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper leaving an overhang on the sides for easy lifting.

In a small bowl, beat the 4 oz of softened cream cheese, ¼ cup of powdered sugar, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract together with a spoon or hand mixer until completely smooth and free of lumps. Set aside.

Whisk the 1½ cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream the ½ cup of butter and ¾ cup of sugar until fluffy. Beat in the 2 eggs one at a time, followed by 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Gently fold in the dry ingredients, then fold in the flour-dusted blueberries.

Spread half of the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. Dollop the cream cheese mixture evenly over the center, then top with the remaining cake batter. Run a butter knife through the batter in a figure-eight motion to create a light swirl.

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.