Cherry-Chocolate Loaf

A delicious chocolate-cherry bread. I am very proud of my banana bread recipe, which is why I adapted it into this amazing cherry-chocolate loaf. While cherries really aren't anything like bananas, this really did work out extremely well — this is a perfect option for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 321 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups pitted cherries
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup dark chocolate chunks
• 3 teaspoons milk, or more as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x4-inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon butter and reserve.

Step 3

Cream 1/2 cup butter and sugar together in another bowl with a spatula or an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time with a whisk or an electric mixer, fully blending in the first egg before adding the next. Stir in yogurt and vanilla extract.

Step 4

Chop pitted cherries coarsely with a knife, or by pulsing on and off a few times in a food processor. Add to the wet ingredients along with chocolate chunks and chopped walnuts. Stir briefly to combine. Batter may look curdled, but don't worry.

Step 5

Pour in the flour mixture and mix with a spatula until all the flour has disappeared. Transfer batter into the prepared loaf pan, making sure to smooth the top evenly and fill in the corners. Tap pan on the counter to release any air pockets.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let bread rest in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Step 7

While bread is resting, combine powdered sugar and milk in a bowl for icing, adding more milk as needed to reach a thin, runny consistency.

Step 8

Brush icing over loaf, allowing to drip down the sides. Let cool completely before slicing and serving, about 20 minutes more.