While I was home around New Year, my mom gave me Alton Brown’s Good Eats 3. It had a recipe for pomegranate syrup that got me thinking, which quickly lead to baking. As it turns out, I’m pretty sure I’m a genius, because this bread (cake?) is fabulous! Baking mellows the tartness of the pomegranate significantly, leaving a sort of berry-esque flavor that goes great in a cream cheese bread.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• one 8 ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 5 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Before making the cake, you have to make the pomegranate syrup. Combine the juice, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the lemon juice in a heavy pot.

Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves completely. At that point, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until it reaches a syrupy consistency, about 45 minutes. You don’t have to be around to stir for that part. Cool to room temp in a glass jar or bowl.

When the syrup is mostly cooled, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9″ springform, or other pan with at least 2″ high sides. Believe me, you’ll want the high sides! Also, line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.

Beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.

Add the remaining sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then the vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add to the egg mixture and beat to combine. Spread half the batter in the prepared springform.

Drizzle half the syrup over the batter.

Repeat with the second halves of batter and syrup, then drag a knife through the batter to swirl in the syrup.

Place the springform on the foil lined pan and bake one hour. Remove the bread from the oven and loosely cover with foil to prevent the top from burning. Bake another 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

You should probably wait for this to cool, but…eh, I dug in straight away.

It’s thick, in a pound-cake way, and a really lovely way to start a day.

Pomegranate Cream Cheese Bread

Inspired by Alton Brown’s Good Eats 3.

• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• one 8 ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 5 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine the pomegranate juice, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the lemon juice in a heavy pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves completely. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until it reaches a syrupy consistency, about 45 minutes. Cool to room temp in a glass jar or bowl.

When the syrup is mostly cooled, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9″ springform, or other pan with at least 2″ high sides and line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.

Beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the remaining 1 3/4 cup sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then the vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add to the egg mixture and beat to combine.

Spread half the batter in the prepared springform. Drizzle half the syrup over the batter. Repeat with the second halves of batter and syrup, then drag a knife through the batter to swirl in the syrup.

Place the springform on the foil lined pan and bake one hour. Remove the bread from the oven and loosely cover with foil. Bake another 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.