Description
This Cherry Almond Loaf Cake with Pink Cherry Glaze is irresistibly soft, moist, and bursting with sweet cherry flavor and delicate almond aroma! Made with fluffy vanilla-style cake batter, rich whole milk, vegetable oil, pure almond extract, and juicy pieces of maraschino cherries, this beautiful homemade loaf cake features a wonderfully tender crumb and delicious bursts of fruity sweetness in every slice. The finishing touch is a vibrant pink cherry glaze made with powdered sugar, reserved maraschino cherry juice, and almond extract, creating a gorgeous bakery-style appearance. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, Easter brunch, birthday celebrations, afternoon tea, holiday gatherings, or enjoying with a warm cup of coffee, this delightful cherry almond bread is a sweet and colorful treat for any occasion!
Ingrédients
Scale
- For the Cherry Almond Batter Base:
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil or canola oil
- 1 tsp pure almond extract
- 1 cup (150 g) maraschino cherries, thoroughly drained, patted dry, and chopped
- For the Vibrant Pink Cherry Glaze:
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1–2 tbsp reserved maraschino cherry juice
- 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
- Whole maraschino cherries, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare the Loaf Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a small overhang on the longer sides to make removing the finished cherry almond cake easier.
- Drain, Dry, and Chop the Maraschino Cherries: Place 1 cup (150 g) of maraschino cherries in a fine-mesh sieve and drain thoroughly, reserving 1–2 tablespoons of the cherry juice for the pink glaze. Transfer the cherries to paper towels and pat them completely dry to remove excess syrup. Chop the drained cherries into smaller, evenly sized pieces so they distribute beautifully throughout the loaf cake batter.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups (240 g) of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt. Mix thoroughly until the leavening agent and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
- Whisk the Wet Ingredients and Sugar: In a separate mixing bowl, combine 2 large room-temperature eggs and 1 cup (200 g) of granulated sugar. Whisk until the mixture becomes smooth, slightly pale, and well blended. Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) of vegetable oil or canola oil, 1/2 cup (120 ml) of room-temperature whole milk, and 1 teaspoon of pure almond extract. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth, uniform, and fully combined.
- Prepare the Cherry Almond Cake Batter: Gradually add the prepared flour mixture to the wet egg, sugar, milk, and oil mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the ingredients together just until no visible dry flour streaks remain. Avoid overmixing, as excessive stirring can develop the gluten and create a dense loaf instead of a wonderfully soft, tender cake.
- Fold in the Chopped Maraschino Cherries: Add the thoroughly dried and chopped maraschino cherries to the prepared almond cake batter. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until the cherry pieces are evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Use light, careful movements to keep the fruit from releasing excess color into the batter.
- Bake the Cherry Almond Loaf Cake: Pour the prepared cherry almond batter into the greased and parchment-lined 9×5-inch loaf pan. Spread the mixture evenly and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 50–60 minutes, or until the top is beautifully set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the surface begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the loaf with aluminum foil after approximately 35 minutes of baking.
- Cool, Prepare the Pink Cherry Glaze, and Serve: Remove the loaf cake from the oven and allow it to rest in the pan for 15 minutes. Carefully lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the vibrant pink glaze by whisking together 1 cup (120 g) of sifted powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of reserved maraschino cherry juice, and 1/2 teaspoon of pure almond extract until smooth. Add the remaining tablespoon of cherry juice gradually, if needed, until the glaze reaches a thick but pourable consistency. Drizzle the pink cherry glaze generously over the completely cooled loaf cake. Decorate with whole maraschino cherries if desired, allow the glaze to set, then slice and serve this wonderfully moist, fruity, almond-scented cake!
Notes
- Pat the Maraschino Cherries Completely Dry: Drain the cherries thoroughly and remove excess syrup with paper towels before chopping and folding them into the batter. Excess cherry juice can create dark red streaks throughout the cake and affect the batter’s texture. Dry cherries distribute more cleanly and evenly throughout the loaf.
- Glaze Only a Completely Cooled Cake: Allow the cherry almond loaf to cool fully to room temperature before adding the pink cherry glaze. Pouring powdered sugar glaze over a warm cake causes it to melt, become runny, and soak into the surface instead of forming a beautiful, vibrant pink finish.
- Use Room-Temperature Milk and Eggs: Bring the whole milk and eggs to room temperature before mixing. Ingredients at similar temperatures combine more smoothly with the vegetable oil, creating a stable batter that bakes evenly and produces a wonderfully tender, moist crumb.
- Temps de préparation: 20 minutes
- Temps de cuisson: 60 minutes
- Catégorie: Dessert
- Méthode: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Portion: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sucre: 38g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Graisse: 13g
- Graisse saturée: 2g
- Graisses insaturées: 10g
- Gras trans: 0g
- Glucides: 55g
- Fibres: 1g
- Protéine: 4g
- Cholestérol: 40mg