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Homemade Dark Chocolate Cherry Bread
Rich dark chocolate and tart dried cherries create a beautifully balanced flavor in this tender quick bread. Sour cream keeps the crumb incredibly moist, while a splash of almond extract adds a subtle nutty background note. It's a comforting weekend baking project that doubles as a thoughtful homemade gift. You'll find yourself slicing off just one more piece before the loaf even cools.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 container (8 oz) sour cream
- ½ cup chopped dried cherries
- ½ cup bittersweet or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with shortening and dust it lightly with flour. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- 2Beat the sugar and softened butter in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until fully incorporated. Room temperature eggs mix in much easier and prevent the batter from breaking.
- 3Mix in the almond extract and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and the sour cream in alternating batches, mixing on low speed just until combined after each addition. Overmixing here can lead to a tough loaf, so stop as soon as the flour disappears.
- 4Fold in the dried cherries and chocolate chips, then transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it out into an even layer.
- 5Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean.
- 6Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
Notes
- Storage: Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days, or keep it in the refrigerator.
- Freezing: Wrap the completely cooled loaf tightly in freezer-safe material and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before slicing.
- Gifting: Double the recipe if you're baking for the holidays. This sweet bread makes a wonderful homemade gift.