Quick Cheesebread

Ingredients

3 oz. (1 cup) Parmesan cheese, shredded large
3 cups (15 oz.) all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. salt
1/8 t. ground black pepper
4 oz. (1 cup) mild Asiago (not too hard), 1/4 to 1/2 in. pieces
1-1/4 cups whole milk
3 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten lightly
3/4 cup sour cream

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat to 350 degrees. Spray 5 by 9-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray, then sprinkle 1/2 cup Parmesan evenly in bottom of pan.
In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cayenne,salt and pepper to combine. Using rubber spatula, mix in Asiago, breaking up clumps, until cheese is coated with flour. In medium bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, egg, and sour cream. Using rubber spatula, gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined (batter will be heavy and thick). Do not overmix. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan; spread to sides of pan and level surface with rubber spatula. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan evenly over surface.
Bake until deep golden brown and toothpick or skewer comes out clean when inserted in center of loaf, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes; invert loaf from pan and continue to cool until warm, about 45 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.

Notes

For Quick Cheesebread with bacon, onion, and Gruyere: Cut 5 slices bacon (about 5 oz.) into 1/2 pieces and fry over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate and pour off all but 3 T. bacon fat from skillet. Add 1/2 cup minced onion (about 1/2 medium) to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes; set skillet with onion aside.
Follow rest of recipe, substituting Gruyere for Asiago, adding bacon and onion to flour along with cheese, and omitting butter.