This not-too-sweet, almond-kissed cherry bread will quickly become your new obsession. It’s the kind of loaf that makes you excited for cherry season, even if you’re not usually a fruit fanatic.
The information provided on this site is based on my personal experience living with alpha-gal syndrome. I consistently cite and link to expert sources, but nothing published on this site should be perceived as medical advice.
Alpha-gal sensitivities vary by person. You should understand your dietary restrictions, making any adjustments needed, and directing any questions to your physician.
There are a few things I can always count on in life:
- the sun rising in the east every morning,
- my cat plotting world domination from the comfort of his sunbeam, and
- my daughter begging me to make this cherry bread recipe when she spots fresh cherries at Costco.
And once you take your first bite of this cherry almond bread, you won’t blame her! This quick bread is easy to whip up and bursting with irresistible cherry and almond flavors. With its perfect balance of sweet cherries and nutty almonds, this loaf is basically dessert in disguise, but I won’t tell if you eat it as a breakfast treat!
In This Article
Key Ingredients in Cherry Bread
This cherry bread hits the sweet spot with simple, alpha-gal friendly ingredients that come together like magic. And if you’re an alpha-gal who avoids dairy, only one super simple substitution is required (details below).
Cherries
My favorite way to make this homemade bread is with fresh cherries. If you immediately feel overwhelmed at the thought of pitting a Costco-sized container of fresh cherries, let me introduce you to my little friend. This cherry pitter will change your life. Seriously! Just remember to pit the cherries over the garbage can to avoid a cherry juice explosion in your kitchen.
Because cherries are one of my favorite fruits, sometimes I crave this delicious bread outside of cherry season. When that happens, I reach into the freezer for my trusty bag of frozen cherries. To thaw them, I set them in a strainer over a bowl and let them chill out on the kitchen counter until they reach room temperature.
Sage Advice: Whether you go fresh or frozen, make sure to halve those cherries so they don’t all sink to the bottom of your bread.
Sugar
If you’re an alpha gal who is sensitive to bone char, make sure you pick a safe option. I always use organic sugar, which hasn’t been processed with bone char. Simple, sweet, and safe for us alpha gals.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is the secret to this bread’s tender crumb. If you’re cool with dairy and want to save time, feel free to grab some store-bought buttermilk. But if dairy is a no-go, no worries! Here’s how to make vegan buttermilk at home in just 5 minutes.
How to Make Cherry Bread
Making cherry quick bread is as easy as pie. Although, if you’re going to make that cherry pie with homemade crust and your own pie filling, this fresh cherry bread recipe is actually way easier!
Here’s what you do:
- Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl
- Whisk the wet ingredients in a separate bowl
- Combine the ingredients of both bowls
- Fold in those juicy cherries, and top with sliced almonds
- Pop it in the oven, and voilà — you’ve just unlocked the secret to making your family worship the ground you walk on.
How to Make Dairy-Free Cherry Bread
For a dairy-free version of this classic cherry bread, just be sure to use vegan buttermilk per the ingredients list below. Then follow the same instructional steps in the regular recipe below.
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 2/3 cup vegan buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup raw, sliced almonds
How to Store Cherry Bread
If you don’t eat the entire loaf in one day (which typically happens at our house), it will keep at room temperature for a few days in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
Need to pace yourself? This cherry bread freezes like a champ. Slice the bread, then wrap each piece tightly in plastic and then store in an airtight container in the freezer. When you’re ready to indulge, just defrost overnight in the fridge or leave it on the counter to come to room temp.
Cherry Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- ½ cup vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
- ⅔ cup buttermilk (see notes for dairy-free option)
- 1 ½ cups fresh cherries (pitted and halved)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ cup raw sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with olive oil cooking spray, canola oil, or another alpha-gal safe option.
- Line the greased pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, almond extract, and oil.
- Add half the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in the large bowl.
- Whisk in the buttermilk.
- Add the remaining flour mixture and stir just until combined.
- Fold in the pitted cherry halves and lemon zest.
- Pour the cherry bread dough into the prepared loaf pan.
- Top the bread batter with raw, sliced almonds.
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer the cherry bread to a wire rack and let it cool completely. This is the hardest part – no sneaky taste tests yet!
- Enjoy your cherry almond masterpiece, and try not to gloat too much when everyone corners you for the recipe at the next potluck!
Video
Notes
- To make this recipe dairy-free, use vegan buttermilk. It’s fast and easy to make at home with this recipe.
- Whether you use fresh or frozen cherries, don’t forget to cut them in half. Otherwise, the fruit will sink to the bottom of your bread.
- If you’d like to make smaller loaves, divide the batter between mini loaf pans. Just remember to reduce your baking time. I recommend starting to check for doneness at around 20 minutes. Mini loaves make great gifts, if you can bear to part with them!
