Sweet Orange Chocolate Chip and Maraschino Cherry Bread
This loaf is delicate and moist, sweet and tender. It’s flavored with orange juice and zest, and studded with maraschino cherries and chocolate chips. While it was definitely inspired by some retro vibes, this maraschino cherry bread does not disappoint a modern palate. Perfect to pair with afternoon tea, as a dessert, or serve as a sweet breakfast treat.
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About Maraschino Cherries
Maraschino cherries are often thought down on, and not without reason. Maraschino cherries are a fresh cherry that is preserved, generally in a syrup made with corn syrup and heavily dyed to be bright red. While I don’t personally have a problem with food dyes or corn syrup, I do have a problem with the resulting cherries which become brittle and flavorless. My biggest memory of them is going out for dessert at Friendly’s and getting one on top of my sundae and being kind of confused as to what it was. They don’t actually taste like fruit.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. I used cherries from Stonewall Kitchen (not sponsored), that are sweet, candied, and actually taste like a cherry. Luxardo Maraschino Cherries are ones that I have not tried myself, but based on reviews and the ingredients I would think are worth a try. Another option is to get a different type of cherry- jarred wild cherries or sour cherries would be excellent here.
Looking for Tray and Loaf Cakes? Try one of these!
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- Simple Vegan Lemon Cake with Coconut and Almonds
- Walnut and Cinnamon Vegan Coffee Cake
- Stout, Pecan and Ginger Bread (Vegan)
- Vegan Cranberry Banana Bread
Chocolate Maraschino Cherry Bread Tips and Tricks
- Not all maraschino cherries are created equal- I used these ones from Stonewall Kitchen which are made without food dyes or corn syrup. What I like about them is they actually taste like cherries- candied cherries, yes- but still juicy, cherry-flavored, and delicious.
- Every orange is a little different, but you want to get about 1/4 cup of juice from your orange. If you need to, supplement with a little water to get the batter moist enough.
- For the best storage, once the bread is cool and the glaze hardened wrap with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for several days. For longer storage you will want to refrigerate or freeze your loaf, but the texture will be better if you don’t.
- This is decidedly a sweet, dessert bread. If you are not a fan of sweets, don’t have much of a sweet-tooth, or prefer only lightly sweetened desserts, this is not the recipe for you.
Sweet Orange Chocolate Chip and Maraschino Cherry Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegan yogurt
- Juice and zest of one orange
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup pitted and stemmed maraschino cherries, broken into halves or quarters.
- 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp. of maraschino cherry liquid
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Lightly grease an 8.5"x 4.5" loaf pan and set aside.
- Combine the butter and granulated sugar in a stand mixer and mix until fluffy. Add the vegan yogurt and orange juice and zest and combine on a low speed. Next add the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and salt and beat until combined. Finally add the chocolate chips and cherries, and fold into the batter.
- Transfer to the baking dish and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean (around 45 minutes- 1 hour). After letting it cool for 10 minutes, remove from the loaf pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool fully.
- Once the cake is cool, combine the powdered sugar and cherry canning liquid and whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the loaf. Allow to harden, slice, and enjoy!
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