Cherry Almond Molasses Loaf

• temps total: 1 hour 8 minutes

Ingrédients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup molasses

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1/2 tablespoon vinegar)

1 cup fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and chopped

1/4 cup slivered almonds, plus extra for topping

Instructions

Preheat the oven: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.

Prepare dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set this mixture aside.

Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Add molasses and eggs: Mix in the molasses until well combined. Then, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Fold in cherries and almonds: Gently fold in the chopped cherries and slivered almonds into the batter, ensuring they are evenly distributed.

Pour into the pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle additional slivered almonds on top for garnish.

Bake: Place the loaf in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top begins to brown too quickly, you can cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

Cool: Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.