Cherry Bread

Table of Contents

1. Cherry Bread Ingredients
2. Substitutions And Additions For A Cherry Loaf Cake
3. How To Make This Cherry Bread Recipe
4. How To Serve Maraschino Cherry Bread
5. When To Serve
6. Storing Cherry Bread With Sour Cream
7. Why This Is The Best Cherry Bread
8. Cherry Loaf FAQ
9. More Quick Bread Recipes
10. JUMP TO RECIPE
11. Even More Recipes You’ll Love

Cherry bread is a classic treat enjoyed at brunch, afternoon tea or for dessert. It’s as perfect to serve during the summer months as it is during Christmas. Bursts of sweet cherries are a wonderful contrast to the bread’s soft, moist crumb. Covered with a cherry almond glaze, it’s a vibrant, pink quick bread you will absolutely love.

Cherry Bread Ingredients

Substitutions And Additions For A Cherry Loaf Cake

CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Chocolate would pair incredibly well with the cherry flavor in this simple, quick bread, and having those bursts of chocolate in addition to the cherries would make this bread extra decadent.

Add ½ cup of chocolate chips to your bread batter.

SOUR CREAM: Greek yogurt can be substituted with a 1:1 ratio for sour cream in this homemade cherry bread recipe.

CHERRY EXTRACT: You can find cherry extract at most grocery stores if you’d like to add additional cherry flavoring (and a bit more color).

Use in addition to or instead of the vanilla extract. The almond extract is perfect with maraschino cherries. You can add almond extract to the glaze for more flavor, too.

How To Make This Cherry Bread Recipe

Whip up the easy bread batter before baking, following our directions below. Once the bread comes out of the oven, drizzle with the sweet cherry glaze.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.

STEP TWO: In a large bowl, combine the sugar, almond flavoring, vanilla, vegetable oil, milk, cherry juice, eggs, and sour cream. Whisk to combine well.

STEP THREE: In a separate medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.

STEP FOUR: Drain maraschino cherries in the jar from the rest of the juice (you’ve already used ¼ cup of the juice in the bread batter) and coarsely chop the cherries into halves and/or quarters.

STEP FIVE: Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture over the cherries and toss to combine. Set aside.

STEP SIX: Stir the remaining flour mixture into the milk/eggs mixture. Stir just until wet ingredients and dry ingredients are combined.

Lumps and streaks of flour in the batter are fine.

STEP SEVEN: Gently fold the cherries into the batter to distribute them evenly, but do not overmix.

STEP EIGHT: Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.

STEP NINE: Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

Cover bread with aluminum foil after 45 minutes to prevent it from over-browning on top.

STEP TEN: Remove from the oven and cool. You can turn the bread out onto a wire cooling rack after it has cooled for an initial 10 minutes in the pan.

STEP ELEVEN: Once the bread is fully cooled, whisk together the ingredients for the glaze in a small bowl.

Drizzle the glaze over top of the cooled bread. The glaze will set, dry to the touch after about 30 minutes.

How To Serve Maraschino Cherry Bread

Cherry bread with maraschino cherries can be served warm or at room temperature. You can eat it as-is or spread with cream cheese for added richness.

WITH TEA: Sliced cherry bread can be a perfect accompaniment to afternoon tea, offering a sweet contrast to savory sandwiches or scones.

WITH HOT DRINKS: Whipped hot chocolate is a favorite.

WITH COLD DRINKS: Cool and refreshing iced tea.

AS A CHRISTMAS GIFT: When beautifully packaged, cherry bread can be a heartfelt and personal gift.

Presentation ideas include:

• Traditional – red and green wrapping paper complemented by gold ribbons.
• Wintry – white wrapping paper adorned with snowflakes and blue ribbon.
• Natural – brown kraft paper tied with twine.
• Elegant – deep blue or purple wrapping accented with gold ribbon.
• Whimsical – wrapping paper featuring beloved Christmas characters and topped with vibrant, colorful bows.

WITH OTHER BAKED GOODS: Combine the cherry bread with other homemade baked goods, like cookies or muffins, in a gift basket.

Recipes that will work for this include:

• Cream Cheese Brownies
• Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies
• Mini Cinnamon Rolls
• Blueberry Muffins
• White Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Cinnamon Swirl Bread

When To Serve

This classic cherry bread is perfect any time of year for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack.

AT POTLUCKS: Because it’s easy to slice and share, cherry bread is a popular choice for potlucks, church gatherings, or community events.

DURING HOLIDAYS: As a fruit-infused bread, cherry bread is a traditional Christmas treat. In addition, the vibrant pink color works for Valentine’s Day, Easter and Mother’s Day.

Storing Cherry Bread With Sour Cream

Cherry bread stores well. Here are a few tips for keeping your bread as fresh as possible.

ON THE COUNTER: Any leftovers of this sweet bread can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in either an airtight container or a Ziploc bag on the counter for 3 to 4 days. 

IN THE FRIDGE: You can store this delicious cherry bread with glaze in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

IN THE FREEZER: This easy cherry bread recipe freezes beautifully and could be stored in the freezer in a Ziploc bag for up to 1 month.

Why This Is The Best Cherry Bread

Flavorful: The addition of cherries lends moisture to the bread, resulting in a soft, tender quick bread that’s packed with flavor.

Tradition: Cherry breads evoke family memories. This is the type of recipe that’s passed down through generations.

Texture: The softness of the bread perfectly combines with the slight chewiness of the sweet cherries.

The best cherry bread around, you will love this sweet bread.

It’s the perfect combination of sweet and tangy — and has such a pretty pink color. In addition, the bread is made extra fun with the bright glaze that is added before serving.

Enjoy this yummy quick bread for breakfast, a snack, or pack it in a lunchbox for a delightful surprise. It’s also great to serve at Christmas.

More Quick Bread Recipes

• Strawberry Bread
• Peanut Butter Bread
• Chocolate Banana Bread
• Carrot Bread
• Strawberry Rhubarb Bread
• Lemon Blueberry Bread
• Snickerdoodle Bread
• Eggnog Bread
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Even More Recipes You’ll Love

• Chocolate Puddles

Cherry Recipes

• Cherry Breakfast Braid
• Cherry Fluff
• Cherry Cobbler Muffins
• No Bake Cherry Cheesecake