Dried Cherry or Cranberry Loaf

Ingredients

1 cup dried cherries (or dried cranberries)
1 1/2 tablespoons cherry flavored liqueur (such as Kirsch or Grand Marnier) or 1 1/2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur (such as Kirsch or Grand Marnier)
1 tablespoon hot water
plain breadcrumbs, for dusting pan
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 lemon, zest of, finely grated
2 large eggs

Place cherries (or cranberries) in a container with a very tight fitting lid.
Pour liqueur and hot water over the cherries, seal the lid tightly, and shake to coat cherries well with the liquid.
Set aside 3 hours or overnight so cherries will absorb the liquid.
Preheat oven to 350 F (or 325 F for a pan with a black surface).
Grease a loaf pan and lightly dust with plain dry breadcrumbs, shaking out excess.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and the salt.
In another bowl, cream the butter and the cream cheese until smooth.
Add the sugars, and the finely grated lemon zest and beat until well combined and pale yellow.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Add the flour mixture, beating on low speed, just until the flour is combined.
Stir in the cherries and any liquid still in the soaking container.
Pour batter into the pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula.
Bake in the center of the oven for 45-60 minutes- or until a toothpick insterted in the center tests clean, checking as early as 40 minutes into the baking time- if it is getting too brown, cover loosely with foil and continue baking until the toothpick tests done.
Expect the top of the loaf to crack.
Let cool in the pan 15 minutes, then remove from pan and set onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Wrap in plastic and let set overnight before slicing.
For extra decadence, drizzle a little more liqueur over the crack before wrapping in plastic- don’t pour too much or you’ll soak the bread.