Ah, love is in the air! You can actually smell it. Or… wait. That might just be the sweet aroma of Lover’s Bread coming out of the oven. Either way, you’ll be daydreaming of purple-pink skies and arrows flying around whether you’re actually in love or you’re just biting into a fluffy, soft, cherry-infused slice of Lover’s Bread, or honestly, both! There is no room for the blues right now thanks to the sugary and further-cherry-infused glaze smothered smoothly on top. You’re in love and it’s the most joyous feeling there is! Lover’s Bread tastes just like how you feel!
Ingredients
For the bread:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 jars maraschino cherries
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 2 1/2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice, reserved from the cherries
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and then dust it with flour.
Step 3 –In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, the milk, the oil, the eggs, and 1 teaspoon of the almond extract together.
Step 4 –In a separate bowl, combine the flour, the baking powder, the baking soda, and the salt.
Step 5 –Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient mixture and stir until just combined.
Step 6 –Drain the maraschino cherries, reserving 2 1/2 tablespoons of their juices for the glaze.
Step 7 –Coarsely chop the cherries using a food processor or a knife.
Step 8 –Gently fold the chopped cherries into the batter.
Step 9 –Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes.
Step 10 –Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer the bread out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 11 –In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, the butter, the reserved cherry juice, and the remaining almond extract and whisk until the glaze is smooth.
Step 12 –Spread the glaze on top of the cooled bread.
Step 13 –Slice and serve.