Ingredients
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond extract)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 jars maraschino cherries* (10 ounces each)
Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/3 cup maraschino cherry juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, milk, oil, egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
Drain the maraschino cherries, reserving the juice for the glaze. Coarsely chop the cherries in a food processor or with a knife. Gently fold the cherries into the batter.
Pour the bread batter into a greased 9″x5″ bread pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center of the bread should come out clean. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, cherry juice and almond extract in a small bowl. Mix until it is smooth.
Once the bread is cool, spread the glaze on top of the bread. Slice and serve. Freezes well!
Notes
*I often add an extra teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract to the bread batter (along with the wet ingredients) for an extra boost of flavor. I do this especially if I’m not putting the glaze on top. The bread has the most flavor when you add the cherry glaze!
*Many maraschino cherry brands come without red dye in the cherries. If you pick up a jar like this, your bread will not be pink. If you want pink bread, be sure that the cherries you use actually have red coloring in it. You can always add additional red coloring if you want the bread to have more of a pink flavor.
**The calories shown are based on the bread being cut into 10 pieces (and all of the frosting used), with 1 serving being 1 slice of bread. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate.