Strawberry (or Peach) Cream Cheese Bread

 

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups strawberries, rinse, dried and chopped (or peaches)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan. I use "Pam for Baking."  Use an electric mixer to cream butter, sugar and cream cheese until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla.  In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Blend flour mixture with butter mixture just until blended. Add buttermilk and only stir until just combined; do not over mix  Carefully fold in strawberries. Dough mixture will be thick.  Bake in a 350°F oven for 50 to 60 minutes

Comments:  This recipe came to me from Author Mary Kennedy.  As most of you know by now, I always change something.  In this case I used peaches instead of strawberries simply because that is what I had on hand.  It worked perfectly!  Can't wait to try this with other fruit such as blueberries and blackberries. This bread is getting raving reviews from my Food Testers.

Banana Bourbon Bread

Bread:
2 2/3 cups Original Bisquick mix
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp. bourbon
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Glaze:
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. bourbon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray bundt pan with non-stick spray.  In a large bowl all all ingredients.  Using an electric mixer mix 2-3 minutes.  Pour into pan.  Bake 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Glaze - mix all ingredients until smooth.  Spoon over hot bread.

Comments:  The original recipe for this was cooked in a slow cooker.  I decided to give it a try in the oven.  The only changes I made was in the glaze.  The original called for 1 Tbsp. bourbon and 1 tsp. hot water.  I used 2 Tbsp. of bourbon instead.  This cake is delicious with a unique flavor.  If you want to make this in a slow cooker the cooking time was 1 1/2 hours but the oven worked perfect for me.  This would be good with walnuts too.

Comment from Carol:  This banana bread came to life with the addition of bourbon!  Reminds me of lazy days in Kentucky whenever I take a chew of this delicious bread.  In fact, this is a dessert that should be chewed slowly in order not to miss the bursts of flavor.  The flavors are so prominent because the bread is not burdened with too much sugar!  It has a nice crust on the outside but is very moist inside.  Bourbon in the icing makes it doubly dynamic and a real pleaser!