Description
Bob Evans Cherry Bread comes straight from my grandma’s kitchen, packed with sweet cherries that make weekend mornings feel special. Warm slices drizzled with butter create the perfect companion to your morning coffee or afternoon tea.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
Liquid Ingredients:
- ¾ cup maraschino cherry juice
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Baking and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Instructions
- Warm up your oven to exactly 350°F (175°C). Coat a standard 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray, ensuring complete coverage.
- Grab a large mixing bowl and combine 2 cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk thoroughly until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- In a separate bowl, blend ¾ cup maraschino cherry juice, 2 large eggs, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon almond extract. Whisk until the mixture looks smooth and consistent.
- Create a small well in the center of your dry ingredients. Gently pour the liquid mixture into the flour blend, stirring with a wooden spoon until just incorporated. Your batter should look slightly lumpy.
- Carefully chop 1 cup of maraschino cherries into small, bite-sized pieces. Softly fold these into the batter, distributing them evenly without overmixing.
- Transfer the batter into your prepared loaf pan, using a spatula to spread it evenly. Smooth the top with gentle, even strokes.
- Slide the pan into the preheated oven and bake for precisely 50-60 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a clean toothpick – it should emerge without wet batter clinging to it.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it rest inside the pan for 12-15 minutes. This helps the bread settle and prevents crumbling.
- Carefully remove the bread from the pan and place on a wire cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely for about 1 hour.
- For the glaze, whisk 1 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons cherry juice until silky. Drizzle decoratively over the cooled bread, letting it set for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cherries can be drained from a jar or fresh – each will slightly change the bread’s moisture and flavor profile.
- Always chop cherries into smaller pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the batter and won’t sink.
- Check the bread at 45 minutes to prevent over-browning, as oven temperatures can vary between kitchen appliances.
- For a gluten-free version, swap standard flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend and add an extra egg for binding.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
- Category: Breads
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 289 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 212 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 37 mg