Sweet Cherry Almond Quick Bread

I couldn't have described this bread any better. It's sweet. It's quick. And it boasts the heavenly essence of almond - the perfect partner for sweet cherries.

Need breakfast on the go? This amazing loaf is ideal for busy mornings - simply bake it the day before and grab a slice on your way out the door. In fact, bake it on the weekend because, when you wrap the cooled bread in plastic wrap, it will last up to 5 days at room temperature! Now you have a week's worth of breakfasts!

Oh, and you might want to consider it for dessert, with a scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Sweet Cherry Almond Quick Bread

Cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup milk
1 cup dark sweet cherries, fresh or frozen and thawed, quartered

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
Beat in half of the flour mixture. Beat in all of the milk. Beat in the remaining flour mixture and mix until blended and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Fold in the cherries.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean or with little bits of quick bread clinging to it.
Cool a rack before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf