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Cherry Chocolate Chunk Bread—this quick bread is so deliciously decadent, no one will ever guess just how simple and easy it is to make!

Sweet breakfast breads are one of my weaknesses. On any given Saturday, give me a scone or cinnamon roll—or a slice quick bread like this Cherry Chocolate Chunk Bread—with my coffee and a good book, and I’m perfectly satisfied.

Bing cherries are easily found in most grocery stores through the end of August, so if you enjoy cooking with cherries or eating them fresh, don’t delay! Besides in today’s quick bread recipe, I also like using cherries in these Cherry Potpies and this super easy Rustic Cherry Tart.

When I was first learning to cook, my grandmother shared a great baking trick with me for ensuring cakes or quick breads were easy to remove from the pan. Back then, she would show me how to cut wax paper circles to fit the bottom of her greased cake pans. Once they were the right size, we’d snug them into the pan and then flip them over so that the greased side was facing up.

I still use this same trick, only now I normally use a piece of parchment paper and always leave the sides just a little taller than the pan. After the loaf is finished baking and has cooled for a few minutes on a wire rack, I run a butter knife along the edge of the pan and the loaf and then use the paper to lift the bread right out—with no sticking!

Dark chocolate and cherries just naturally work well together in this bread. The cherries bring a little juicy sweetness while the dark chocolate balances it all out. I opted for using chocolate chunks in this recipe, but you could substitute dark chocolate chips as well.

The final step is adding a powdered sugar glaze to the cooled loaf. In my opinion, a powdered sugar glaze is an essential topping just about any type of quick bread!

The buttermilk in the batter helps keep this bread moist without becoming soggy even with the fresh cherries. Before adding the cherries to the batter, its always a good idea to make sure to drain any collected juices. That keeps them from sinking to the bottom and from making the batter turn pink when folding them in.

Don’t you agree that Cherry Chocolate Chunk Bread would make a beautiful addition to any brunch menu?

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Bread

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Bread—this quick bread is so deliciously decadent, no one will ever guess just how simple and easy it is to make!

Ingredients

1 cup Bing cherries, pitted and halved
3/4 cup semi-sweet dark chocolate chunks
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with a light coating of cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to fit the bottom and up two sides of the pan. Place the paper in the pan and press to coat with the spray. Turn the paper over and return to the pan with the sprayed side up; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In a smaller bowl, combine the buttermilk with the baking soda. Add the egg, canola oil, and vanilla and stir until combined.
Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the cherries and chocolate chunks, being careful not to over mix.
Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan by lifting up on the sides of the parchment paper. Cool completely before glazing.
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons of milk (depending on desired consistency) and stir until smooth. Drizzle glaze over bread.