Old Fashioned Cherry Bread
I really love Pinterest as a source for new recipes to try. But, every once in a while I love to go through my collection of old cookbooks to find a forgotten favorite.
Some of my favorite cookbooks are the simple spiral bound recipe books published by different Churches that were sold in an effort to raise funds for one project or another.
I mean where else can you find recipes called Scuffles, Spudnut Doughnuts or Fairbanks Favorite Casserole! Which, by the way, are on my radar to try. You just know they are tried and true recipes probably past down from one generation to the next.
I found this recipe for Cherry Bread in just such a book. The cover is missing, but inside the front cover is a message from the Minister of the United Church in Meadowood.
I can just imagine how many church bake sales this cherry bread was sold at. Or maybe it was brought for a dessert at a pot luck dinner held in the church basement!
Although there is no author listed for this recipe, it does credit Westmount Park Church in Westmount, Quebec ,First United Church in Wetaskiwin Alberta, and Lakeburn United in Moncton, New Brunswick under the recipe. Seems it has been enjoyed from the east straight through to the west of Canada.
It is a simple, quick bread that took literally 5 minutes to throw together, mix and pour in the loaf pan. I was looking for a recipe to use up a jar of maraschino cherries I had sitting around. It also called for walnuts, but since I didn’t have any I just omitted them.
It still turned out sweet and delicious.
I really enjoyed it the second day with a cup of hot tea for breakfast. It has fruit, so I figured it qualified!
Until next time….
Maureen
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup cherry juice (drained from cherries)
- 1 cup maraschino cherries
- 1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray loaf pan with non-stick spray
- In the bowl of electric mixer (if using) or a large mixing bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- In another bowl whisk together eggs, milk, oil, almond extract and cherry juice.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.
- Mix on medium speed or very vigorously by hand until smooth.
- Add the cherries and the nuts (if using) and stir to incorporate well.
- Pour into prepared 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until cakes tester comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing.
I love the combination of cherry and almond so I’m going to make a loaf of this bread!!! Your beautiful pictures make everything look delicious, Maureen!
I ‘think’ I’ve had this cherry loaf before but not any time in the recent past. If it is like the loaf I had, I loved it! I’m going to have to make some and try it out. Sometimes the ‘oldies’, as in recipes, are the ‘goodies’!
Thank-you for sharing!
It would be helpful to know what size loaf pan to use, & also affect baking time.
Hi Trish! Thanks for your comment! I have updated the post to include the size of the pan that I used, which is a 8-1/2 by 4-1/2 inch loaf size! I have not tested the recipe in other size loaf pans, so I cannot comment on the cooking times.
Thanks for replying so quickly, as I’d like to try this recipe over the holidays. Knowing which size pan is very helpful.
What is the quantity for the cherry juice?
Oh my! Thanks for asking Millie, I didn’t realize I left it out. It is a quarter cup of reserved cherry juice! I have gone in and adjusted it in my post! Thanks again 🙂