Cherry Bread with a Brown Sugar Almond Crust {traditional and gluten free recipes}

04.00 | Label: Breads, Cakes, Cherries, Gluten Free, Muffins

Similar to coffeecake in flavor and texture, without the overwhelming sweetness of a traditional coffeecake, this sweet, quick bread totally made my week. Loaded with fresh cherries and then topped with a sweet brown sugar and almond crust, the whole family found this bread irresistible. I stashed a few slices of the bread in the freezer the second time I made it and I've been enjoying it with my coffee all week long.

I made a batch as muffins and mini loaves earlier last week and didn't get a single photograph. I threw together a second batch with the remaining cherries and poured the whole thing into a 10" square pan. Like most quick bread recipes, this recipe quite versatile and can be easily baked in whichever form you'd like.

Cherry Bread with a Brown Sugar Almond Crust {traditional and gluten free recipes}
Yield: 12-14 muffins or (6) mini-loaves or (1) 10" square cake pan
(printable recipe)

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cup brown rice flour *
1/2 cup tapioca starch *
1/4 cup potato starch *
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup pitted and diced fresh cherries
* if you are not in need of a gluten-free recipe, simple substitute 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour for the items marked with an *

Topping Ingredients:
1/4 cup cold butter, grated or cut into very small pieces
1/4 cup brown rice flour *
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sliced almonds
* if you are not in need of a gluten-free recipe, simple substitute 1/4 cup AP flour for the item marked with an *

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins, a loaf pan or a 10" square pan. Combine the butter and sugars in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the extracts and the eggs and beat until. Add the sour cream and stir again. Stir together all of the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add half of them to the wet ingredients. Stir the cherries into the remaining dry ingredients and toss to coat. Add the cherry/flour mixture to the other ingredients and stir gently, just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Prepare the topping. Stir together the grated butter, flour and sugar. Add the almonds and then use your fingers to form a crumbly streusel. Sprinkle in small chunks all over the batter in the pan. Bake approximately 20 minutes for muffins, 28 minutes for mini loaves or 40-45 minutes for the 10" square pan. Bake until browned around the edges and a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Let cool before slicing. Enjoy!