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Cherry Bread

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close up overhead shot of a loaf of Cherry Bread with pieces of bread sliced off on a wooden board
Packed with cherries and covered with a sweet cherry almond glaze, this cherry bread will be a treat any time of day.
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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.

close up overhead shot of a loaf of Cherry Bread with pieces of bread sliced off on a wooden board

Cherry Bread Ingredients

Cherry Bread raw ingredients that are labeled
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Ingredients you’ll need to make our cherry bread recipe:

For The Bread:

  • ¾ cup of granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • ½ cup of vegetable oil
  • ½ cup of milk
  • ¼ cup of maraschino cherry juice
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup of sour cream
  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 1½ teaspoons of baking powder
  • maraschino cherries from a 16-ounce jar, chopped

For the Glaze:

  • 1 cup of powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream or milk
  • ½ teaspoon of almond extract
  • 1-2 drops of cherry extract or 1 tablespoon of maraschino juice

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

The cherry juice will color the bread a pinkish/peach tint. For more color, you can add a couple of drops of red food coloring.

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.

PRO TIP:

Always drain the maraschino cherries before using them in your loaf. Pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess syrup. This will prevent your batter from becoming too wet.

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.

sugar, almond extract, vanilla, vegetable oil, milk, cherry juice, eggs, and sour cream whisked together in a bowl

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

flour, salt, and baking soda whisked together

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.

flour mixture folded with cherries in a bowl

PRO TIP:

Coating the cherries in a little bit of flour will help keep them from sinking to the bottom of the bread while baking.

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.

flour mixture stirred with the milk/egg mixture

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

cherries folded together into the batter

STEP EIGHT: Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.

bread batter poured into a 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.

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your bread at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

cherry bread baked

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.

glaze drizzled over the bread

PRO TIP:

Place bread on a wire rack before pouring the glaze on top. This way any excess glaze will run through the rack rather than leaving a puddle around your bread.

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:

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.

close up overhead shot of a loaf of Cherry Bread with pieces of bread sliced off on a wooden board

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.

Cherry Loaf FAQ

How do you keep cherries from sinking?

Coating the cherries in flour will help keep them suspended in your batter so they don’t sink during baking.

How do you store this maraschino cherry bread recipe?

You can store cherry quick bread in plastic wrap or an airtight container at room temperature for several days.

Can cherry bread be frozen?

You can freeze this easy quick bread recipe by wrapping it in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil before putting it in the freezer.

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

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close up overhead shot of a loaf of Cherry Bread with pieces of bread sliced off on a wooden board

Cherry Bread

5 from 3 votes
Packed with cherries and covered with a sweet cherry almond glaze, this cherry bread will be a treat any time of day.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 16

Ingredients
  

Bread

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • teaspoons baking powder
  • 16 ounces maraschino cherries, chopped

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, or milk
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 to 2 drops cherry extract, or 1 tablespoon maraschino juice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, almond extract, vanilla, vegetable oil, milk, cherry juice, eggs, and sour cream. Whisk to combine well.
  • In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.
  • Drain maraschino cherries 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.
  • Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture over the cherries and toss to combine.
  • Stir the remaining flour mixture into the milk/eggs mixture. Stir just until wet and dry ingredients are combined – lumps and streaks of flour in the batter are fine.
  • Gently fold the cherries into the batter to distribute evenly, but do not overmix.
  • Pour batter into a greased or parchment-lined 9×5 loaf pan.
  • 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.
  • 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.)
  • Whisk together the ingredients for the glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the bread. The glaze will set, dry to the touch after about 30 minutes.

Notes

  • The cherry juice will color the bread a pinkish/peach tint. For more color, you can add a couple of drops of red food coloring.
  • Coating the cherries in a little bit of flour will help keep them suspended in the bread while baking, so you will have a nice distribution throughout.
  • Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your bread at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
  • Make sure to let the bread cool fully before glazing.
  • Place bread on a wire rack before pouring the glaze on top so that any excess glaze will run through the rack rather than leaving a puddle around your bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg
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This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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  1. Masslass64 says

    5 stars
    Delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and just enjoyed the first piece. Cutting up the cherries was time consuming and messy so the next time Iโ€™m going to use my small manual food chopper. The glaze recipe is more than enough to coat the bread and you can easily cut back on it to control the sweetness. A keeper for sure.

  2. Meg says

    5 stars
    This is practically the same as the cherry bread my grandmother made, but of course I could never find her recipe! So easy to put together and most delicious. I made it for Valentine’s Day for my coworkers and they inhaled it.

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