This Blueberry Cream Cheese Loaf Cake is bursting with blueberry and cinnamon flavors and has a soft cream cheese sponge. Your guests will love it!
I love blueberries, cinnamon, and cream cheese, so I thought, why not make something using all of them? This Blueberry Cream Cheese Loaf Cake combines blueberry, cinnamon and cream cheese to make an ideal tea-time treat. Thanks to the addition of cream cheese, this cake is super moist, rich, and dense.
This cake is simple and great to make ahead as it keeps well for up to 4 days. It can be made using fresh or frozen blueberries or even blueberry jam for an extra marble effect!
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Ingredients and Variations
Most of the ingredients required for this Blueberry Cream Cheese Loaf Cake are the same as those of a pound cake: eggs, flour, butter, and sugar. The blueberry filling is prepared separately by simmering fresh or frozen blueberries to release their juices, then combining the mixture with cream cheese.
For the blueberry-cream cheese mixture, you will need:
Blueberries - You can use fresh or frozen blueberries for this cake; both work well. If using frozen blueberries, use straight out of the freezer.
An alternative, especially if you would like a strong marble or swirl effect in your cake, is to use blueberry jam. You may need to heat the jam slightly before using. If using blueberry jam, you won't need added sugar.
This is optional, but you can use some whole blueberries for the cake topping.
Sugar - Granulated sugar works fine here.
Cream Cheese - Use your favourite cream cheese. Full-fat cream cheese will give more flavor but low-fat cream cheese works as well.
For the Loaf Cake, you will need:
Flour - Use cake flour or AP flour. For accurate results, weigh your ingredients using digital kitchen scales.
Salt - To balance the sweetness of the cake
Baking Powder - Leavening agent
Eggs - These provide texture and structure to the cake.
Butter - Use softened, unsalted butter if possible.
Sugar - Use granulated or caster sugar. The loaf cake contains less sugar than normal, since this is compensated for in the blueberry-cream cheese mixture (especially if using jam). Feel free to add more as desired.
Vanilla Extract - Flavor enhancer
Ground Cinnamon - This is optional but is a great flavor pairing with blueberries.
For the optional streusel topping, you will need:
Butter - For the streusel, you will need melted butter. Use unsalted butter if possible.
Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar - a tablespoon of each.
Flour - AP flour works fine here and is needed to form the streusel crumbs.
If you're a fan of cinnamon, you can also add a pinch of this ground spice to the streusel mixture.
How to Make Blueberry Cream Cheese Loaf Cake
- Make the Blueberry Cream-Cheese Mixture
Using fresh/frozen blueberries: Place blueberries in a small saucepan, add sugar and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5-7 minutes or until juices are released. Use a potato masher to mash the blueberries slightly. Transfer to a glass bowl and chill for 10 minutes.
Then, stir in cream cheese until combined.
TIP: If using frozen blueberries, use straight out of the freezer (DO NOT thaw).
If too much liquid is released and the mixture is very runny, drain 2-3 tbsp. of liquid.
Using Blueberry Jam: Place jam in a medium-sized glass bowl. If jam is too thick, warm slightly (15-20 seconds in microwave) to thin it. Stir in cream cheese until smooth and set aside. - Make the Loaf Cake Batter
Preheat the oven to 165°C (330F) and line a 4x8" loaf tin with parchment paper.
Sift and mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt) and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand-held electric mixer. (1-2 minutes until pale and fluffy)
Add vanilla extract and eggs. Eggs should be added one by one and mixed well after each addition (1-2 minutes).
Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Then, fold in the blueberry-cream cheese mixture using a spatula. Do not over-mix - the batter should be "streaked" with the blueberry mixture. If using blueberry jam, fold in and "swirl" the spatula (you can also use a wooden skewer or chopsticks) for a marble effect. For more information on creating a marble effect, refer to the FAQ section.
Transfer batter into lined loaf tin. - Make the Streusel Topping
Melt the butter, stir in granulated and brown sugar (and cinnamon, if using), then slowly stir in flour until a crumbly mixture forms. - Assemble and Bake
Sprinkle batter with streusel topping and add a few blueberries.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in loaf tin for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling, slice, and serve!
FAQs
Make sure the cake has cooled down completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Yes! Thanks to the cream cheese addition, this cake remains dense and moist for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. Make sure that the cake has cooled down completely before storing.
Yes. Just make sure to use blueberries straight out of the freezer without thawing them, in order to prevent the formation of extra liquid.
If the blueberry mixture becomes too runny after the simmering process, drain 2-3 tablespoons of liquid before adding cream cheese.
For a marble or swirl effect, use blueberry jam (instead of fresh or frozen blueberries and sugar). Simply warm the jam slightly if it is too thick, then stir in cream cheese. When adding to the batter, use a wooden skewer or chopstick to swirl the blueberry-cream cheese mixture in a "figure of 8" motion.
You can also perform this step in the loaf tin i.e., by pouring some of the plain batter into the loaf tin, then adding tablespoonfuls of blueberry-cream cheese mixture randomly onto the batter and making a "figure of 8" swirl using a wooden skewer or chopsticks.
Other Blueberry Recipes You'll Love
No Bake Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake
Blueberry Cardamom Muffins
Chocolate Chip Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies
Vegan Blueberry Lemon Muffins
Blueberry Earl Grey Muffins
Blueberry Cream Cheese Loaf Cake
Ingredients
Blueberry Cream Cheese Mixture
- 100 g blueberries fresh or frozen (or blueberry jam, see notes) (approx ½ cup)
- 4 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 40 g cream cheese (approx. 2½ tbsp.)
Loaf Cake
- 112 g unsalted butter softened (½ cup)
- 120 g granulated sugar (½ cup + 1 tbsp.)
- 2 medium-sized eggs
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 130 g cake flour (1 cup + 1 tsp.)
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon optional
Streusel Topping
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter melted
- 30-40 g AP flour (approx. 2 tbsp.)
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon optional
Instructions
Blueberry Cream Cheese Mixture
- Wash and drain blueberries. Set around 2 tbsp. blueberries aside for the cake topping. You will be using the remaining blueberries for the cream cheese mixture.
- Heat blueberries and sugar in a small saucepan on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until blueberries are soft and start to release syrup. Use a potato masher to slightly mash blueberries. If the mixture is too runny (this might happen especially if using frozen blueberries, drain 2-3 tsp. of liquid). Transfer blueberry mixture to a medium-sized glass bowl and chill for 10 minutes.
- Stir in cream cheese until combined. Set aside.
Loaf Cake
- Preheat oven to 165°C (330F) and line a 4x8" loaf tin with parchment paper.
- Sift and mix flour, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon, and set aside.
- Place butter and sugar in a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until mixture is pale and fluffy (1-2 minutes).
- Add vanilla extract and eggs, one by one, mixing well after each addition.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently fold in blueberry-cream cheese mixture. Do not overmix (the white batter should be streaked with the blueberry mixture). NOTE: Use blueberry jam for a stronger marble effect (see notes).
- Pour batter in loaf tin and top with streusel topping and remaining blueberries.
- To make streusel topping: melt butter in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in brown and granulated sugar until combined. Add cinnamon. Slowly add flour and mix until a crumbly mixture forms.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in loaf tin for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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