One of my favorite must haves for the holiday season is Cherry Bread. This has been on my family table since I first remember having special foods for the holidays. The bread is much like a banana bread–a super easy quick bread, but with a punch.
Instead of bananas (of course), you use maraschino cherries and cherry juice. The color is a beautiful pink with the red cherries peeping through. You can use walnut if you like the crunchiness in the bread. I, personally, do not; since I started making the bread, I have not put the walnuts in. My daughters don’t miss them as they have had my recipe since they were little. My husband prefers the walnuts but since I haven’t put them in forever, I think he’s forgotten they should be in the bread!
My bread has become a tradition for gifts. Many people expect a loaf of Cherry Bread in their gift boxes. I even have a friend who lives in Oregon who talks about my bread often. I think I should probably send her a loaf this winter, if it stays cold enough!
Excuse me …. I have to go cut myself a slice of bread, as talking about it makes me hungry for it. My favorite way is a nice slice with butter on it. You eat it anyway you like and enjoy the New Year with a great new recipe!
Cherry Nut Bread
Ingredients:
½ cup shortening or butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 small bottle of maraschino cherries, chopped
½ cup of cherry juice
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions:
Mix shortening (butter), eggs and sugar. Add cherry juice and mix. Add flour and dry ingredients and mix. Add vanilla. Mix all well. Add chopped cherries and walnuts, mix lightly. Bake in bread or loaf pan at 350° for 45-50 minutes. Check with toothpick to see if done.
This can be made in a bread loaf pan or in 4 mini-loaf pans. If you do like I do and buy a large jar of cherries, then use between ½ and 1 cup of chopped cherries instead of the small bottle.
