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This sweet Almond Cherry Bread has a moist, buttery crumb and is bursting with fresh, juicy cherries. Serve the glazed cherry almond cake for a simple make-ahead breakfast, set out a slice for an afternoon snack, or add a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream for an easy dessert. It’s perfect alongside a mug of hot coffee or tea!
Cherry Almond Bread
Whether you’re looking for a special addition to your holiday brunch on Easter, Valentine’s Day or Christmas, or you just need a quick breakfast or dessert that you can make in advance, then this classic Cherry Bread is the perfect solution! Enhanced by fruity notes from almond extract and the crunch of toasted almonds on top, the rich, buttery bread is a perfect cross between a classic quick bread and a more decadent fresh cherry loaf cake (or pound cake). It’s full of plump, juicy cherries, has just the right amount of almond flavor, and is finished with a thick almond glaze.
The Cherries
Cherries are obviously the star of the show in this cherry quick bread, and you have a few choices when it comes to the fruit that you use. If you’re preparing the recipe during the summer months when sweet cherries are in season, then you can certainly take advantage of the fresh fruit. Just remember to pit the fresh cherries individually before adding them to your batter!
My preference — for both ease and convenience — is a bag of frozen sweet cherries. The frozen cherries can be stashed in your freezer for any last-minute cherry bread cravings, and they come already pitted. You don’t need to worry about whether fresh cherries are available when you’ve got the sweet frozen variety tucked away.
You can also use dried cherries for this recipe (they just don’t add quite as much moisture to the loaf), or even tart cherries — a delicacy that we find for a short couple of weeks each season here in Virginia. If using the fresh tart cherries, you’ll likely want to toss them with some extra sugar, and maybe even add some extra sugar to the batter. Those little things can be very tart!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need to prepare a loaf of almond cherry bread. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Salted butter: adds rich flavor and keeps the bread incredibly moist.
- Sugar: for sweetness!
- Egg: gives the loaf structure.
- Almond extract and vanilla extract: for flavor. Almond extract is a perfect companion for cherries!
- Milk: use whole milk, cream or at least 2% milk for the best texture. I do not recommend skim milk or other lower-fat non-dairy milk alternatives.
- All-purpose flour: the base of the bread.
- Baking powder: the leavening agent that helps the bread rise.
- Cinnamon, salt and nutmeg: the spices add a touch of warmth to the loaf cake and the salt enhances the other flavors.
- Cherries: fresh, frozen, or dried will all work. Toss them with about 1 tablespoon of flour in order to prevent them from sinking to the bottom as the bread bakes.
How to Make Cherry Bread
I tested a handful of different versions of this bread before ultimately landing on my favorite — a slight adaptation of Aunt Mary’s Blueberry Bread. I come back to Aunt Mary’s recipe time and again because it has the best flavor (so much rich, buttery goodness), it rises nice and high, and it has a moist, tender crumb. What more could you ask for in a loaf of cherry bread?!
- Cream together the butter and sugar.
- Add the eggs, milk, almond extract and vanilla extract.
- Sift together the dry ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then mix until combined.
- Fold in the cherries.
- Transfer the batter to a greased loaf pan.
- Bake in a 350° F oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn the loaf onto a wire rack to cool completely.
The Glaze for a Cherry Almond Cake
Since this “bread” is actually more like a pound cake or a fresh cherry loaf cake, I think it’s best when finished with a thick almond glaze. The icing is obviously optional (the bread would be delicious on its own with just a dusting of cinnamon and sugar), but the glaze really sets it over the top! Sprinkle with some thinly-sliced, toasted almonds and you’re diving into decadent dessert territory…which is exactly where I want to be. After all, I love an excuse to eat cake for breakfast!
- In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk and almond extract until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze on top of the cool cake.
- Sprinkle with sliced, toasted almonds.
- Let the glaze set, then slice and serve!
What to Serve with Cherry Quick Bread
This cherry quick bread is a perfect addition to a breakfast or brunch spread. Offer some butter and jam on the side and your guests will be thrilled! The bread also goes well with any of these other brunch dishes:
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Sausage Hash Brown Casserole
- Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Fresh fruit salad
- Ham, Cheddar and Broccoli Quiche or Quiche Lorraine
- Crustless Quiche with Spinach
- Biscuits and Gravy
- Virginia Country Ham Biscuits
Storage
Always wrap your loaf in plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out. The almond cherry bread will stay fresh at room temperature on the counter for 1-2 days, and it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezer Instructions
Allow the bread to cool completely, do not glaze, and then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a Ziploc freezer bag or wrap again with foil. The bread will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the bread on the countertop. Add the glaze and toasted almonds, let it set, then slice and enjoy!
Note: I have also frozen this bread with the glaze and nuts already on it. That works fine, but the glaze just doesn’t look quite as good when it’s thawed and the nuts aren’t as crisp.
Recipe Variations
- Instead of topping the bread with a glaze, sprinkle the top of the batter with cinnamon and sugar before baking.
- Cherry Nut Bread: add chopped almonds to the batter for some crunch, or make Cherry Walnut Bread with a handful of chopped walnuts in the batter.
- Dried Cherry Bread: swap out the fresh or frozen cherries and use an equal amount of dried cherries instead. The dried cherries don’t add quite as much moisture to the loaf, but it will still be delicious.
- Substitute fresh, frozen or dried cranberries for the cherries. They give the bread a nice, tart flavor.
- Chocolate Chip Cherry Bread: add about ½ cup – ¾ cup miniature chocolate chips to the batter.
- Double the ingredients and bake the batter in a Bundt pan for a Cherry Almond Cake. Bake the Bundt cake at 325° F for about 70 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for about 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for the Best Cherry Bread Recipe
- Be careful not to over-mix the batter. You want it to come together so that everything is combined, but then stop stirring! Mixing too much will result in a dry, dense loaf.
- The total baking time will vary depending on the type of loaf pan that you use. A dark metal, nonstick pan cooks the bread faster, so it will likely be done within 45-50 minutes. By contrast, a lighter metal pan, a glass pan, or a ceramic pan can easily require 60 minutes (or more) in a 350° F oven. You can tell that your loaf is cooked through when you insert a toothpick or long stick deep into the center of the loaf and it comes out clean.
- If using frozen cherries, do not thaw the cherries before adding them to your batter.
- Toss the cherries with flour to help them stay suspended in the batter, rather than sinking to the bottom of your bread as it bakes.
More Quick Bread Recipes to Try
Almond Cherry Bread
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- ¼ cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ¾ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 cup fresh or frozen pitted cherries coarsely chopped and tossed with 1 tablespoon flour
Glaze:
- 1 ¼ cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Optional garnish: ¼ cup thinly-sliced almonds, toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease an 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch loaf pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and mix until incorporated. Slowly add the milk, almond extract and vanilla extract; mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Be careful not to over-mix the batter.
- Gently fold in the cherries.
- Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the bread is cool, combine the confectioners sugar, milk and almond extract in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. If the glaze seems too thin, add more confectioners sugar. If it’s too thick, add a small amount of milk.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cool bread. Sprinkle with sliced almonds, if desired. Slice and serve!
Notes
- Be careful not to over-mix the batter. You want it to come together so that everything is combined, but then stop stirring! Mixing too much will result in a dry, dense loaf.
- The total baking time will vary depending on the type of loaf pan that you use. A dark metal, nonstick pan cooks the bread faster, so it will likely be done within 45-50 minutes. By contrast, a lighter metal pan, a glass pan, or a ceramic pan can easily require 60 minutes (or more) in a 350° F oven. You can tell that your loaf is cooked through when you insert a toothpick or long stick deep into the center of the loaf and it comes out clean.
- If using frozen cherries, do not thaw the cherries before adding them to your batter.
- Toss the cherries with flour to help them stay suspended in the batter, rather than sinking to the bottom of your bread as it bakes.
The whole family loved the bread! It turned out great and I made it gluten free. Thank you!
Excellent! Thanks for letting me know, Kari!
I made the cake this afternoon, following the recipe closely, except for substituting a cup of jarred morello cherries for the frozen or fresh sweet ones. I halved the morellos and left them to drain for 30 minutes before adding them.
The cake came out very well, and my husband loves it. I do think the addition of the sliced and toasted almonds adds a lot to the finished cake. Not an inexpensive addition, but very pretty and very flavorful.
Thanks so much!
Thank you for your feedback, Virginia! We’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed the recipe.