Table of contents
This Cherry Almond Bread recipe is a made with a wholesome blend of white whole wheat flour, almond flour, juicy tart sour cherries, tangy greek yogurt and a touch of honey for sweetness. This easy almond cherry quick bread is perfect in the summer with fresh-picked sour cherries, or to make year-round with frozen tart cherries. Try this healthy cherry loaf recipe for breakfast, Sunday brunch, or served warm out of the oven with an afternoon cup of tea.
Ingredients for Cherry Almond Bread
Dry Ingredients
- White whole wheat flour is made from hard white spring wheat and considered a healthy choice, because it retains the bran and germ. It provides the same nutrition as traditional whole wheat flour, with a lighter color and milder flavor.
- Almond flour is made from finely ground blanched almonds and has a subtle nutty flavor with a light, powdery texture ideal in delicate baked goods.
- Cornstarch is made from the starchy center of dried corn kernels and often used as a thickener in pie fillings and lightens the texture of baked goods.
- Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a leavening agent that reacts with acidic ingredients (like lemon juice, buttermilk, or vinegar) creates carbon dioxide gas to make baked goods rise.
- Baking powder is a leavening agent that contains both an acid (cream of tarter) and a base (baking soda) to help baked goods rise. Use a double-acting, aluminum-free baking powder to avoid a bitter aftertaste.
- Pink salt is a type of rock salt found near the Himalayas, that is minimally processed and contains trace minerals.
Wet Ingredients
- Canola oil is a vegetable oil made from the canola seeds that is low in saturated fat and has a neutral, light flavor in taste.
- Eggs are produced by chickens and provide structure and stability in baking, while their proteins trap air, creating natural leavening.
- Honey is a natural, unrefined sweetener produced by honeybees from flower nectar.
- Plain greek yogurt is strained to remove whey, resulting in a thick, tangy texture with more protein and less sugar than regular yogurt.
- Vanilla provides warm notes of caramel and spice, enhancing the depth of flavor in baked goods. Choose a pure, all-natural extract made from real vanilla beans with at least 35% alcohol.
- Almond extract is made from bitter almonds or stone fruit pits (like apricots) soaked in alcohol. Choose pure almond extract over artificial versions, which can taste harsh or overly bitter.
Mix-Ins
- Almonds are seeds from the almond tree, native to the Middle East, that have a mild, nutty flavor and crunchy texture. Blanched almonds are ideal to use since the skins are removed.
- Sour cherries are grown on fruit trees, and have a bright, tart flavor from their higher acid content compared to sweet cherries. Their peak season in from late June to early July.
Make your own ingredients
Vanilla: Purchase Grade B vanilla beans (also called extract-grade), which have less moisture and a more concentrated flavor. Place 8 oz. of bourbon (or vodka) in glass bottle or jar. Split 5 – 7 vanilla beans down the middle and add to bottle. Store in a cool, dark place for 3 – 6 months before using. It will keep for many years, so as you use it, just top off with more bourbon and more beans.
- Do not thaw the fruit before adding to the batter. Thawed frozen fruit may release excess liquid that can stain the batter. Gently fold the fruit by hand into the batter.
- Use almond extract sparingly as it is very strong.
- Coat cherries in flour or cornstarch before folding them into the batter. This helps them stay evenly distributed and prevents them from sinking to the bottom.
- Let batter rest in the bowl, covered with a towel for 5 – 15 minutes before pouring into loaf pan. This allows the flour to fully hydrate, resulting in a light, tender crumb.
- To get high dome on the loaf, pre-heat oven to 375°, then reduce oven to 350° once the loaf is in the oven.
Dietary Substitutions
For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. You can read more about my pro-baking here.
Here are a few basic tips when converting conventional recipes into specialty baked goods.
- Shelf Life: Specialty baked goods tend to dry out faster and have a shorter shelf life than conventional baked goods. Store in an airtight container on counter for 1 – 2 days. For longer storage, freeze up to 6 months. Avoid refrigerating, as it can dry out baked goods.
- Let Batter Rest: Alternate flours can be dense or slightly gritty compared to white flour, so be sure to let the batter rest at least 15 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator before baking. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and produce a lighter, tender crumb.
- Oven Temperature: Alternative flours are delicate and tend to brown faster before the center is cooked through. Reduce oven to 325° and bake “low and slow,” adding a few extra minutes of bake time if needed.
Gluten-Free (no gluten)
- Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour such as King Arthur Measure for Measure or use a homemade gluten-free flour blend. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe.
- Hydration: Gluten free flours can make baked goods dense. Add 1 tablespoon of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture.
- Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.
Vegan/Dairy Free (no animal products)
- Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
- Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
- Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.
Keto (low carb, high fat)
- Flour: Swap the white flour for almond flour or coconut flour.
- Sweetener: Replace sugar with Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener which calls for a 1:1swap that mimics granulated sugar.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as coconut or almond milk.
- Hydration: Almond flour can make baked goods dense. Add 1 -2 tablespoons of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture. Add 1 additional egg to help bind the batter.
- Fat: Add up to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.
Wholesome (minimally processed)
- Flour: Swap out 1/3 to 1/2 of the white flour with King Arthur white whole wheat flour or King Arthur 100% whole wheat flour or Bob’s oat flour.
- Sweetener: Replace sugar with maple syrup or honey. Use 3/4 c. honey for every 1 c. sugar.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
- Lower Fat: For every 1 c. of butter, use 3/4 c. heart-healthy oil (like canola or extra-light olive) OR 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce + 1/2 c. oil.
Storage & Freezing
Baked: Store the baked loaf in an airtight container at room temperature 2 – 3 days. For longer storage, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap and then put in a freezer-safe container or vacuum-sealed bag for up to 6 months. To thaw, keep in the container at room temperature about 30 minutes before opening to prevent condensation.
Batter: Refrigerate batter in a sealed container for 3 – 5 days. If using fresh fruit or other mix-ins, fold them in just before baking to prevent staining or excess moisture.
FAQ’s
Light-colored aluminum bread pans are best for conducting even heat. Fill the pan about 3/4 of the way full to allow the loaf to rise without spilling over the pan.
Sure. Replace the tart fresh cherries with 3/4 c. of dried cherries. Place dried cherries in a little bit of warm water to plump them up.
How to pick and preserve fresh-picked sour cherries
- Pick cherries early in the morning when temperature is cooler and the bugs are less active.
- Wear a long-sleeve shirt to protect your arms fro branches, a hat for shade, and lots of bug spray!
- Bring your own containers like ziploc bags, coolers or large buckets to transport the berries home.
- Keep the fruit as cool as possible in your vehicle. Place frozen ice bricks in the coolers and turn on the air conditioning.
- If your local farm has a cherry pitter, have the cherries pitted, then wash them and put in ziploc bags or air-tight containers.
- Short-term storage: If you are going to use within 1 – 2 weeks, put cherries in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
- To freeze: spread the cherries in a single layer on a parchment-lined half-sheet pan. Freeze for 1 hour, then transfer into ziploc bags or vacuum-seal up to 1 year. You can also just put the bags of cherries straight into the freezer, but they may clump together from the juice.
- To can: follow the USDA guidelines.
Cherry Almond Bread
Equipment
- mini-chopper
- bread loaf pan (9" x 5" x 3")
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1 ⅔ c. white whole wheat flour
- ⅓ c. almond flour
- 1 T. cornstarch
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. nutmeg
WET INGREDIENTS
- ¼ c. oil
- ⅔ c. honey
- 1 egg
- ⅔ c. non-fat greek yogurt or buttermilk
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
- ¼ tsp. almond extract
MIX-INS
- 1 c. sour cherries toss in flour
- ½ c. almonds rough chop
Instructions
PREP
- Gather your equipment. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease 9×5 loaf pan.
- Pat dry sour cherries and toss into a little bit of flour and set aside.
- Rough chop the almonds and set aside.
MAKE BATTER
- Whisk together dry ingredients wheat flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, clearjel, and salt in bowl.
- Add oil, honey, greek yogurt or buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until just combined.
- Add in chopped almonds and gently fold in sour cherries by hand and lightly mix together.
- Pour batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with course sanding sugar.
BAKE
- Bake at 350° for 43-45 minutes. Let cool, slice and store in air-tight container.
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