Cherry Bread with Lemon Glaze

This whole grain cherry bread is a whole wheat flour version of my delicious gluten free cherry loaf cake. Like the gluten-free cake, this one is also topped with a light lemon glaze, though it's also very nice with a sweet maple glaze! Or keep it plain for more of a breakfast treat.

I love yogurt-based bakes, and this one is sooooo good. The protein-rich Greek yogurt is paired with (also protein-rich) whole wheat flour and almond flour. Add a dash of vanilla, a generous pinch of cinnamon, and a heaping of juicy cherries, and this one-bowl sweet bread will quickly become a favorite.

Make sure to try my lemon blueberry loaf and raspberry banana bread recipes for more berry-forward quick bread recipes!

Ingredients Needed

Here's a look at everything you'll need for this cherry bread. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

• Granulated sugar
• Greek yogurt - I like whole-fat Greek yogurt here, but you can also use low-fat, non-fat, or even regular (non-Greek) yogurt.
• Eggs - Use large or medium eggs.
• Vanilla - I prefer pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
• Whole wheat flour - Either whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour works, or you can use spelt flour.
• Almond flour - A little almond flour adds protein and moisture to the loaf. If you don't eat almonds, use more whole wheat flour.
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon - A ground spice like cinnamon adds warmth. Try ginger or cardamom for a little flavor change.
• Salt - Use fine sea salt or table salt.
• Oil - Any oil works here, including coconut, vegetable, canola, or avocado oil.
• Cherries - Fresh or frozen cherries are fine; just make sure to thaw and drain the cherries first if using frozen cherries.

Variations to Try

• Orange glaze - Top the bread with my sweet orange glaze rather than the lemon glaze for a slightly different burst of citrus.
• Add almond extract - In addition to the vanilla extract, stir in ½ teaspoon of almond extract for a dose of almond flavor.
• Chocolate - Add ½ cup of semisweet chocolate chips to the batter to make it a cherry chocolate chip loaf!
• Make it gluten-free - Instead of the oat and almond flours, use 1 ½ cups (180 grams) of my homemade gluten free flour blend or your preferred 1:1 gluten-free flour.
• A different fruit - Turn this into a blueberry, raspberry, or strawberry bread by swapping the cherries for another berry or do a combination.

Tips & Recipe Notes

• Cool the loaf completely before glazing. It's always super important to cool loaves, cakes, etc. before drizzling with glazes or icings. Otherwise, the glaze may melt into the cake.
• The glaze will set eventually. While the glaze may initially seem to be a bit runny, it will set on top of the cake into a slightly firm layer if you let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
• Try dried cherries. Out of fresh or frozen cherries? You can chop up dried cherries instead. Use 1 ¼ cups of dried cherries.
• Add nuts. For a bit of crunch, stir in ½ cup of chopped walnuts.

Proper Storage

• Counter - Store the bread on the counter, covered or in an airtight container, for up to 2 days.
• Fridge - Keep bread in the fridge for up to 5 days. Eat straight from the fridge or let it warm up to room temperature a bit before serving.
• Freezer - Place the loaf in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge completely before serving.