There are some flavors that seem to go together so perfectly, and cherries and almond happen to fit into that category. In this sweet, cake-like bread the essence of almond permeates the bread and the bright cherries give a burst of fruitiness that accentuates it even more. It is perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a snack. The bread is moist and flavorful, with a tender crumb that pairs beautifully with a cup of coffee or tea.
How to Make Cherry Almond Bread
Preheat Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Grease a standard-size loaf pan and set it aside.
Prepare Dry Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder.
- Gently fold in the chopped and patted dry cherries. This helps to distribute the cherries evenly and prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
Prepare Wet Ingredients:
- In another bowl, whisk together the large egg, vegetable oil, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.
Combine Mixtures:
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients.
- Stir gently until just moistened. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the bread dense and tough.
Bake:
- Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan, spreading it out evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
Cool and Serve:
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Recipe Notes
- Cherries: Ensure cherries are well-patted dry to avoid adding excess moisture to the batter.
- Mixing: Do not overmix the batter to keep the bread light and fluffy.
- Testing for Doneness: Insert a toothpick in the center of the bread; it should come out clean when done.
Almost Cake: Cherry Almond Bread
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Makes 1 loaf 1x
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Moist and flavorful, this quick bread is perfect for breakfast or a sweet treat. Enjoy warm with coffee or tea.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) salt
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
- 1/3 cups (80 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cups (120 ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml) almond extract
- 1 cups (150 g) cherries, coarsely chopped and patted dry
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Grease a standard-size loaf pan and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder. Gently fold in the chopped and patted dry cherries.
- In another bowl, whisk together the large egg, vegetable oil, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir gently until just moistened.
- Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan, spreading it out evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- For a more intense almond flavor, toast the almonds lightly before adding them to the batter.
- If fresh cherries are unavailable, you can substitute 1 cup of frozen cherries (thawed and patted dry).
- Wrap cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and then foil for optimal freshness, storing at room temperature up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 100
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 50
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes this a bread rather than a cake, and how does that affect the texture?
The batter uses less sugar and fat than a typical cake and relies on baking powder for lift rather than creamed butter and sugar. The result is a denser, slightly chewier crumb that still has the almond and cherry flavors you would expect in a dessert.
Can I use fresh cherries instead of dried or jarred ones?
Fresh cherries work but release more moisture during baking, which can make the center underbake. Pit them, halve them, and toss with a little flour before folding into the batter to help manage that extra liquid. 
Should I toast the almonds before adding them to the batter?
Toasting deepens the almond flavor noticeably. Spread them on a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant, then cool completely before mixing in.
Awesome
I have been making this recipe for a number of years. For Christmas gifts I use half red and half green cherries, for Valentines Day I just use the red cherries.
I misplaced my recipe and was so glad to find yours.
Thank you for sharing.
Audrey DeFehr White Rock, BC Canada
[email protected]
We are really enjoying this cakey bread– so moist, delicious and pretty!!! I chose to use 1 cup all purpose flour and 1/2 cup wheat flour and it was still very moist! Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. We were lucky enough to get Door County Bing cherries, which is what I used and they were scrumptious! I also love Robin’s post about making little loaves of bread and giving them for Christmas!
Thank you Michelle for a really great recipe!
Correction.Oops sorry.I added two tablespoons of buttermilk in place of the egg.thanks
I love this recipe.i have made it many times and also used blueberries.My granddaughter s allergic to eggs,o I used one tablespoon of buttermilk and it works well.It doesn’t rise as much but tastes delicious!! Thank you for this recipe.
I have made this recipe several times and have added many fruits other than cherries. Strawberries, blueberries and apples are a great combination. We also love raspberry and plum combination and just about any fruit there is. Good basic recipe to add other items to.
Great recipe. I like to make muffins because they cook quicker than bread. Made this recipe a few weeks ago with tart frozen cherries from our trees. They turned out moist and light for a bread. I am going to make them again for supper tonight because I really liked the recipe. Thanks for the recipe Michelle.
I’ve come across your recipe for cherry almond bread. I am looking for a true “cake like” consistency, not too heavy. Last night I baked a cherry bread w/sour cream in it, 1st try, and am disappointed. When I mixed in the cherry juice and maraschino cherry pieces, the batter color was pink which was what I wanted; once baked, it turned out browner which I did not want. My husband loves the cherry bread from Bob Evans Restaurant—–this it the kind of cherry bread I wish to bake…is your recipe like this? If so, I will definitely give it a try.
Thanks!!
This bread is fantastic. I have two sour cherry trees, and they were ready to be picked last week. I didn’t know what to do with all the cherries, as even my husband gets bored with cherry pie after a while, and besides, there’s only so much of it you can eat without growing immensely fat! (I made three, and gave one to a neighbor.) I found this recipe, and it is so delicious. I made 9 breads. We are eating one; I gave two away, and put six in the freezer as Christmas gifts. I would only suggest covering them the last ten minutes to preserve that beautiful golden color. I still have more cherries, even after 3 pies, but have found a couple of puddings I want to try!
Very easy recipe. I think there is a lack in flavor du to not enough almond extract in my opinion but my boyfriend loved it(and he’s very picky).
I made this recipe with frozen cherries, turned out perfectly. Great recipe I will definitely make it again. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful – simple recipe! Thank you so much for posting it. Love that it uses on-hand ingredients. My brother’s cherry tree produced a bumper crop of fruit this year and he generously gave us buckets of cherries. This is a great basic recipe which can be modified to suit personal tastes. Again, thank you!
This is the most moist pretty looking cherry bread there is. I used the jar pitted red cherries and did these up for xmas gifts I bought the aluminum bread pans and let it cool a little bit wrapped the pans up in dollar tree christmas hand towels with a ribbon wrapped around it to close the towels. They looked festive and showed the thought put into the gift. Being on a budget this was my best bet. Thanks for the recipe that put this all together for me.
Delicate and very moist. I used fresh rainer cherries. Easy and tasty.
This recipe will go in my box. Thank you!
I had cherries that were soggy and not good for eating. Before throwing it away, I thought to check for a recipy on the net. I found this one and what a treasure! Simple ingredients and the only one I did not have was almond extract and I used almond flour instead. Well worth the try…
Anyway, 60min later out of the oven came a fabulous desert! Definately one I will use again!