3 1/4 cupsall-purpose flour plus extra for your work surface
2teaspoonssalt
Filling:
1/2cuppacked brown sugar
1/2cupmelted butter
1 1/2cupscherries pitted and cut in half
Cream Cheese Icing:
1/2cupcream cheese
4tablespoonscream
3-4tablespoonsbrown sugar
Instructions
Preheat your oven for rising, turn it on to 175 degrees then turn it off when it's heated, this is as warm as it should get.
In large measuring cup, mix together milk, water, melted butter, sugar, and yeast.
This recipe is as easy to do by hand as it is by mixer, so pick your poison. If you would like to use a stand mixer, mix flour and salt into the mixer bowl that is fitted with an oiled dough hook. Oiling the hook makes sure the dough doesn't climb the hook and go all crazy on you. Works like a charm! Using the lowest setting, start the dough hook going and slowly add the milk mixture. After dough comes together, increase speed to medium and let your dough hook do the work until the dough is shiny and smooth, about 6 to 7 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky but if it is too wet to come together into a ball, add an additional 2 tablespoons flour. It should just barely stick to your hands, nothing more. Turn dough onto lightly floured counter and knead briefly to form a smooth, round ball.
If you are ready for a workout and want to do this by hand, mix flour and salt in large bowl. Make a well in the flour, then add the milk mixture, pouring into the well. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the dough is difficult to stir and it's almost a ball in the middle of the bowl. Turn out onto lightly floured work surface and begin to knead, incorporating any loose scraps back into the dough. Knead until dough is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes, giving those arms a workout and a half! Shape into a round ball.
Take the ball of dough and place in a well oiled bowl, covering it up.
Put it in the oven and let the dough rise until doubled in size, anywhere from 45-60 minutes.
When that is done, grease your bundt pan and set aside.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Take out the dough and on a lightly floured work surface roll it into a 12 by 18 inch rectangle.
Cut the rectangle into (6) 12 inch long strips. Each strip will then be approximately 3 inches wide.
Take the first strip, brush melted butter over it and sprinkle brown sugar on top.
Place as many cherries on top for filling as wanted, I did 10 half cherries per strip.
Place the next strip directly on top of the previously prepared one and repeat with the butter, sugar and cherries.
Repeat with all layers, building a stack of dough layers.
Once you have all the layers in a stack, cut it into 12 pieces.
Place each piece in the prepared bundt pan, making sure that they will slant slightly so that each piece will rise and touch together, forming a solid pull apart loaf.
Cover with a towel and let rise for another 45-60 minutes, until the dough is doubled again.
Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. You should cover the top of the loaf once it's browned and continue cooking. To avoid a soggy loaf, you must make sure it's very well baked without burning the top, thus using tinfoil to prevent the top from over baking is crucial.
Once the loaf is cooled, combine all the cream cheese icing ingredients together, making sure the brown sugar is dissolved in completely. It is SO much better than icing sugar! Spread over the top of the loaf and serve.