Cherry Bread

This cherry bread gets its color and fruity sweetness from a full ten ounces of chopped maraschino cherries folded into a simple butter-and-egg batter. Every slice shows off those ruby-red pieces against a tender, golden crumb.

The buttermilk and cherry soda in the batter are a quirky combination that works. The buttermilk’s acidity tenderizes the crumb and reacts with the baking soda for lift, while the cherry soda adds a hint of fizzy cherry flavor that reinforces the maraschino cherries without being obvious. It’s one of those vintage recipe tricks that sounds strange but delivers.

Draining the cherries well before folding them in is critical. Maraschino cherries sit in a heavy, sugary syrup that will bleed into the batter, create soggy pockets, and throw off the sugar balance of the whole loaf. Chop them, drain them on paper towels, and pat them dry.

Kitchen Tips

• Toss the drained, chopped cherries in a tablespoon of flour before folding into the batter. The flour coating prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf during baking.
• Mix on low speed once you add the flour. Overmixing develops gluten and turns the bread tough and chewy instead of tender and cake-like.
• Test with a toothpick at the 55-minute mark. The cherry juice can make the center look underdone even when it’s ready.

Variations

• Add a cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for a crunchier, more substantial loaf.
• Swap half the maraschino cherries for dried tart cherries for a more complex, less sweet cherry flavor.
• Drizzle a simple almond glaze over the cooled loaf. Almond and cherry are a classic pairing.