Soft Cherry Bread with Cherry-Almond Glaze — An EASY quick bread recipe that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, Easter, or Mother’s Day! Because you can never have too much pink!
Table of Contents
Grandma’s Sweet Cherry Bread
My grandma used to make the best cherry bread. I’d give anything to watch her make it again and write down what she did. But since that will never happen, I had about 17 emails up and back dialoguing with my mom about how she thought Grandma made it.
My mom pieced together some of her own notes and a recipe from a 1948 cookbook that she thinks is what my grandma used.
After reading it all over and brainstorming about this bread on multiple 8-mile runs, I made a few tweaks and finally made it.
This cherry almond bread is a soft, sweet, and an easy quick bread recipe to make. It’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, baby or bridal showers, and would be so pretty for a brunch.
My daughter inhaled this sweet, soft cherry bread and her slices were flooded with glaze. You can never have too much pink. Or glaze.
My grandma loved pink and it was her favorite color. I have a feeling she would have been thrilled seeing all this pink.
Refreshing an Old Recipe
This is a re-post from when I originally posted this recipe in 2014 and since that time it has been imitated and copied, the photos have been stolen on the internet, but that’s just a testament to how good it is and my readers who’ve made it know that!
Recreating Grandma’s Recipe
I know my grandma didn’t use an electric mixer, and since she would have made it by hand, so did I.
I have a feeling she used shortening, but I know the word shortening causes immediate clicking off the page by most modern bakers, so I went with a little canola oil instead.
I was tempted to add buttermilk or Greek yogurt to the batter because I do swear by them for keeping things lighter, softer, and moister, but I know my grandma wouldn’t have used them, so they were out.
My grandma didn’t glaze her bread, and it didn’t need it. But I couldn’t resist reserving a bit of the cherry juice and making a cherry-almond glaze.
Glazed Cherry Bread Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this cherry dessert recipe (I know it’s a quick bread, but trust me when I say this is a dessert!):
- Maraschino cherries (+ their juice!)
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Eggs
- Canola oil
- Almond extract
- Vanilla extract
- Confectioners’ sugar
How to Make Cherry Bread with Almond Glaze
This is a quick and recipe for cherry bread. Check out the recipe card at the end of this post for full instructions!
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined (the batter will be thick).
- Before adding the cherries to the batter, give them a rough chop on your cutting board and sprinkle them with a little flour. It helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the pan while baking.
- Turn the batter into two greased and floured 8×4-inch pans, then bake until the bread is domed, set, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cherry bread loaves cool completely before glazing.
FAQs
There’s almond extract in the bread and also more in the glaze. It wonderfully complements the cherries and shouldn’t be missed. Look for it next to vanilla extract in the baking aisle.
If you love almond extract or are wondering what to do with the rest of the vial, make this cake. It’s unique and a keeper.
Of course, if you have an almond allergy in your family, you’re welcome to omit the almond extract altogether. Just note that your bread won’t taste the same as mine.
I used one 10-ounce jar maraschino cherries to make this bread. Look for them where ice cream toppings are sold.
No, maraschino cherries are a must in this cherry quick bread recipe. 
I baked the bread in two 8×4-inch loaf pans. You could probably get away with one 9×5-inch pan but I find things get a little too browned around the edges before the center fully cooks through in large loaf pans.
My mom made the recipe as 4 mini loaves with good luck, and I’m sure muffins would work. Just note that if you start tinkering with the pan sizes, you’ll have to start tinkering with the baking times.
Yes, this maraschino cherry bread will keep up to 6 months in the freeze. Do not glaze bread until ready to serve if you plan on storing long-term.
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Sweet Soft Cherry Bread with Cherry-Almond Glaze
Ingredients
Cherry Bread
- one 10-ounce jar maraschino cherries, divided
- 1 ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- cherry juice, reserve 1/4 cup
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cherry-Almond Glaze
- ¼ cup reserved cherry juice
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- about 1 1/2 cups+ confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Make the cherry bread:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray two 8×4-inch loaf pans with floured cooking spray or lightly grease and flour the pans; set aside. (Recipe may be baked in one 9×5 pan, as 4 mini loaves, or as muffins, although I have not tested it that way. Adjust baking time accordingly.)
- Remove cherries from jar and place on a cutting board. Roughly chop them.
- Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour (prevents them from sinking during baking) and toss to coat evenly; set cutting board aside. Set jar with the cherry juice aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 1 3/4 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, optional salt, and whisk to combine; set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl or glass measuring cup, combine eggs, oil, all the cherry juice from the jar except 1/4 cup to be reserved for the glaze, almond extract, vanilla extract, and whisk to combine.
- Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and stir to combine; don’t overmix. Batter will be very thick.
- Gently fold in the chopped cherries.
- Turn batter out into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops lightly with a spatula. Strategically place a few cherries on top for visual appeal.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, or until bread is domed, set, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
- Allow bread to cool in pans on top of a wire rack for about 15 minutes before removing and allowing to finish cooling completely on rack. While bread cools, make the glaze.
Make the Cherry-Almond Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup reserved cherry juice, almond extract, about 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, and whisk to combine until smooth and satiny. Add sugar until desired consistency is reached.
- Glaze the bread prior to serving. After the photos were done, I glazed much more liberally, spreading the glaze like butter on the interior of the slices.
Notes
- Bread will keep airtight at room temp for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Do not glaze bread until ready to serve if you plan on storing long-term.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Cherry Dessert Recipes:
Cherry Cream Pie — An old-fashioned pie with homemade scratch crust topped with NO-BAKE layers of sweetened cream cheese along with juicy cherry pie filling!! If you like cherry pie, you’re going to LOVE this amped up version!!
Mini Cherry Oreo Cheesecakes – EASY mini cheesecakes loaded with cherries and an Oreo cookie crust!! The hit of your Valentine’s Day party! Mini food is IRRESISTIBLE!!
Glazed Cherry Pie Bars — The cherry bars are like cherry pie but easier. There’s a buttery, soft, tender crust topped with cherry pie filling before being baked and glazed.
Chocolate Chip and Cherry Blondies — These cherry bars use my favorite blondie base and turn out perfectly every single time! You can use fresh or frozen cherries, or a blend of mixed berries. These bars are seriously so good!
Glazed Cherry Bonbon Cookies — These cookies are just so fun. Soft, buttery, pink cookies with the surprise of a juicy, sweet maraschino cherry in the middle that also helps keep the cookies moist.
Cherry Turnovers with Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze — The turnovers are so good that people will think you bought them from a local bakery, but they’re so easy, ready in 20 minutes, and you’ll never need to settle for store-bought turnovers again!
Maraschino Cherry White Chocolate Cookies — These cherry bars use my favorite blondie base and turn out perfectly every single time! You can use fresh or frozen cherries, or a blend of mixed berries. These bars are seriously so good!
Triple Chocolate Cherry Cake — This cake is loaded with juicy cherries and topped with an easy homemade chocolate frosting. I used a few shortcuts in this recipe to save time, but this cake tastes completely homemade!
Originally published February 11, 2014 and republished with updated text May 8, 2020.
I have a feeling Skylar not only loved the taste, but the color too. :) Averie, this cherry bread looks incredible. Grandma’s recipes are purely the best. I have no doubt her version was dynamite and your updated version is just as incredible. The most perfect recipe for Valentine’s Day, spring, Easter, etc. I love almond extract + cherries together!
Thanks, Sally! Glad you saw this post. I loved how pink it turned out :) This recipe, whoa, what a labor of love. These retro recipes that no one really has written down, to bring them into the modern era, via some stabs in the dark, not always the easiest but so glad this one came together!
This looks decadent! And I’m loving its nice shade of pink!
Do you think I could make the glaze substituting greek yogurt for half the powdered sugar? Thanks in advance!
P.S. I love your recipes! You’re a truly talented baker, AND photographer. :)
For the glaze no you wouldn’t want to sub anything. Make it just like I wrote it, or simply omit.
What a pretty pink dessert, just perfect for Valentine’s Day!
I will definitely have to try this. My boys love maraschino cherries! I am so with you on the family recipes, many of my Grandma’s are regulars in our baking. Luckily my mom made a family cookbook with recipes from everyone on her side of the family so I have recipes from my great aunts too.
Family recipes are such a treasure, this is such a pretty pink bread!
Wow . . . how to die for is this? I’ve never bought, used or tasted maraschino cherries, but I think it’s about time I do, because I really want this bread.
You totally made this for me, didn’t you?? I adore cherries and this is definitely going to get made!
This cake is so cute – almost too cute to eat (but I’d still devour it!). Love the pink glaze as well. So fun for Valentine’s Day!
Oops – comment posted twice! Whoops.
This cake is so cute – almost too cute to eat (but I’d still devour it!). Love the pink glaze as well. So fun for Valentine’s Day as well.
This bread looks amazing. I’m making it for my husband’s grandma’s birthday, but trying your recipe this year. Can I use self rising flour and just omit the salt?
I haven’t tried self-rising flour. If you do, LMK how it goes!
I love cherries and this is so pretty. Great recipe!
I am dying over this bread – it looks absolutely scrumptious! I love that you’ve been bringing cherries to the forefront instead of strawberries this time of year. Family recipes are always the best – I am sure your Grandma would be so proud of you!!!
This looks so lovely! I do believe I’ll bake it tonight for my office. My grandma didn’t cook or bake much but my mom did and to this day I think of her every time I use one of her recipes. I thought of compiling her recipes into a book, but I prefer keeping all her recipe cards and notes because they’re in her handwriting, plus they’ve got all the butter stains! I”ve been baking quick breads in two pans for a long time now, because I find it impossible to get the center of the loaf baked through using the large size. I’m glad I’m not the only one! Happy baking!
Glad you’re using 2 pans, too. I find 9x5s to be too big for almost all recipes anymore to give me the doneness that is right on both the edges and the middle. Two pans are so much more forgiving! Hope your coworkers enjoy this – LMK how it goes!
Just wanted to let you know I baked this last night and my work colleaagues are devouring it as we speak! A lovely success and perfect for Valentine’s day, so thank you so much! And since I’m kinda new to your wonderful blog, here’s a big fat thank you for your wonderful recipes! Happy baking!
Oh what a lovely comment to read! Thanks for trying this so soon after I posted it and getting back to me that your colleagues are devouring that! They’re lucky to have you around! Happy Valentine’s Day!
I am in love with this bread. I used to hate cherries, now I can’t get enough. Thanks for sharing this!
I love the color! It’s so fun rediscovering family favorites!
This cake is almost too beautiful eat..almost..my love for Cherry everything would win and I would devour it. Love recipes that bring make memories.