This quick bread tops my list of ways to enjoy chocolate for breakfast! I love the harmony between the smooth chocolate flavor and the tart sweetness of cherries joined together in this moist and slightly dense loaf.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 15 min |
| Yield: | One 8-inch loaf, enough for 8 servings |
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3/4 cup dried cherries, chopped
- 1/2 cup (45 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, plus 1 more teaspoon for coating the cherries
- 3/4 cup cherry juice (or water)
- 1 1/4 cups (155 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- Heaping 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten
- 1 large egg white, at room temperature, beaten
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line it with parchment paper.
- Combine the dried cherries with the 1 teaspoon cocoa powder in a small bowl. Toss to evenly coat and set aside.
- Microwave the cherry juice in a microwave-safe measuring cup until steaming, about 1 minute. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the 1/2 cup cocoa and whisk until smooth. Set aside while you prepare the dry ingredients.
- Put the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in another medium bowl and whisk well to combine.
- Add the oil, egg, egg white and vanilla to the warm cocoa mixture then whisk to combine. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until incorporated. Pour about 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan. Stir the cocoa-coated cherries into the remaining batter, then pour that batter into the pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
- Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake on the center rack until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, 60 to 64 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes then remove the quick bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife (this will cut through the cherries easily and yield a clean slice).
- Serve or wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap or foil and store on the counter for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 281 |
| Total Fat | 12 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 29 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 16 mg |
| Sodium | 167 mg |
Reviews
Turned out perfectly. Moist and chocolatey.
This is a delicious recipe! My father brought home a two pound bag of dried cherries, which I had never used before. So, I started looking for recipes. I found this one. Since my dad loves cherry cordials, I thought this would be a great addition to his birthday lunch. I was out of chocolate chips. I omitted them and put Turbinado sugar on top before baking. It was such a hit that it disappeared right away, so I made another one. This is definitely our new favorite quick bread.
Deep chocolate flavor, easy to make. Yummm!
This was really great bread. I added real cherries. Chop them up along with some pecans. I will be making this often for myself and for gifts. Thanks so much. ❤️
Very delicious. Definitely a big hit in my family!! My husband’s only complaint was why didn’t I double the recipe. So if you have a big family, or want to share, double the recipe ahead of time. You’ll be happy you did.
This quick bread is so delicious! I’m having it with a glass of milk, I am so glad I found this for a treat for my chocolate fix. It would also make a great gift or be a hit at a party!