The world of baking boasts a delightful range of quick breads that rank among the easiest and most delicious options for both bakers and eaters. Equally fitting as a morning delicacy or a sweet dessert, you simply can’t go wrong with them. Among the myriad of loaves we’ve baked, those with cream cheese in the batter stand out, yielding a wonderfully moist and rich texture. However, we realized we hadn’t ventured into creating a Peach & Cream Cheese Bread and decided it was high time to do so.

Acknowledging the fleeting season of fresh peaches, we’ve opted for canned peaches in this recipe, ensuring that this scrumptious bread can be enjoyed all year round. Of course, if you happen to have fresh peaches available, we heartily recommend using them. Dice the peaches into small chunks to ensure your bread bakes evenly and imparts a juicy burst of peach flavor with each bite. This recipe yields a generously-sized loaf, and it’s crucial to ensure that it bakes thoroughly right through the center.

Ingredients

• 8 oz (1 package) cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 eggs
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• 1 cup milk
• 15 oz canned sliced peaches, drained and chopped

Procedure

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a standard loaf pan.
In a large mixing bowl, blend the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Follow by adding sugar, eggs, and lemon zest into the mixture, and beat until it achieves a light and fluffy texture.
In a separate, smaller bowl, amalgamate flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Gradually incorporate the dry ingredient mixture and milk into the cream cheese mixture. After these components are well combined, gently fold in the diced peaches.
Transfer the resulting batter into the prepped loaf pan. Bake for approximately 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean.
Allow the loaf to cool down before you slice it. Enjoy your delicious Peach and Cream Cheese Bread!