Cherry-Studded Quick Bread
A nostalgic and easy loaf with sweet maraschino cherries and a delightful almond glaze, perfect for brunch or a snack.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 g
- 1/2 cup 2% milk 4 oz
- 1/2 cup canola oil or vegetable or melted coconut oil, 4 oz
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon alcohol-free almond flavouring or alcohol-free vanilla extract, approximately 5 g
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 260 g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 5 g
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 3 g
- 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 g
Cherries and Glaze
- 2 jars maraschino cherries 10 oz each — drained, reserve juice for glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar 130 g
- 1 tablespoon melted butter 14 g
- 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice 30 g
- 1/2 teaspoon alcohol-free almond flavouring for the glaze 2 g
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9"x5" loaf pan with cooking spray or grease with shortening and dust with flour; tap out the excess.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, oil, egg, and 1 teaspoon alcohol-free almond flavouring until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir to mix evenly.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir with a spatula until just combined — a few small lumps are fine. Do not overmix.
- Drain both jars of maraschino cherries, reserving the juice for the glaze. Coarsely chop the cherries and gently fold them into the batter.
Baking
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.
- Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze: whisk powdered sugar, melted butter, reserved cherry juice (2 tablespoons), and 1/2 teaspoon alcohol-free almond flavouring until smooth. Adjust thickness by adding a little more powdered sugar or a teaspoon more cherry juice.
- When the bread is completely cool, spread the glaze over the top. Slice and serve.
Notes
Store any leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze slices for longer storage. Handle leftovers with clean utensils and avoid leaving the loaf out for more than two hours in warm environments to minimize food-safety risk.