Cherry Almond Loaf

I first started baking around the time I moved into my first apartment. I had gotten used to cooking in my parent’s kitchen, but now I had this nice, big kitchen to use. I basically chose my first apartment based on the size of the kitchen, it was great. I had so much room and I had that kitchen so organized. Everything had its place and there was room for lots of baking ingredients. Sugar, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, many types of chocolate chips, you name it, I had it.

The kitchen in our townhome is also very nice, but I don’t have a pantry. And I guess I have more pots and pans now because while I have lots of cupboard space, it doesn’t seem like my baking ingredients are very organized. Since I am always trying new recipes, but making the recipes selected for Tuesdays with Dorie, it seems like I have accumulated quite the selection of odds and ends ingredients.

I have the best of intentions in using up these ingredients, but I never really do. I need to clean out the freezer but I haven’t done that either. A couple of weeks ago I made chocolate cherry cookies and I had bought a big jar and had many leftover. Well, for once I actually used them up before they were too old. I figured that a loaf bread would be good and I found this recipe. It seemed really springy, since using the cherry liquid instead of milk gave the bread a nice pink hue.

This bread was really good. It was nice and moist and I love the combination of cherry and almond. It was relatively sweet for loaf bread, but not too sweet. The original recipe says that you could top this bread with almond scented butter, but I don’t think you really need that. It stands alone and adding butter would complicate it too much. I took this in to work, which I think was a bit confusing since they are used to me bringing cookies on Friday, but it was enjoyed by all.

10 oz. jar maraschino cherries
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

Drain cherries and reserve juice, adding water if needed to make 1/2 cup liquid. Chop cherries coarsely and pat dry.

In mixing bowl cream butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time. Beat in almond extract. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and add to creamed mixture alternately with cherry juice. Stir in cherries and almonds. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until tested done in center with toothpick.

Cool 10 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Allow to cool overnight before slicing.

Recipe from CD Kitchen