Packed full of red and green candied cherries and whole toasted walnuts, this Walnut and Candied Cherry Loaf is loaded with familiar and cozy holiday flavour! This moist and delicious fuss-free loaf does not require or need any glaze or frosting; serve it just as is, because it is quite perfect!
In our home, we love the combination of walnuts and candied cherries at Christmastime. Previously, I shared two such recipes. Have you tried my Walnut Fruitcake Fudge or my Candied Cherry Slices? Before that, I shared these Walnut Cherry Slices which has become a yearly tradition! Because of the popularity of those recipes, it was obvious to me that the combination is well-loved in other homes too. Therefore, this Walnut and Candied Cherry Loaf had to be included in this series!
I tend to use a lot of walnuts at Christmastime – partly because we love them, but also, walnuts add so much flavour and texture to cakes and cookies. Here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen, you can find a plethora of holiday recipes that feature walnuts. Try these Walnut Shortbread Balls. They are dipped in melted chocolate and topped with crushed walnuts. One of my favourite holiday treats of all time are my mom’s Walnut Oh Henry Bars. They are loaded with walnuts!
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I’m going to tell you all about this recipe and how you can make it in your home this holiday season. But first, I want to tell you about what you can expect from Lord Byron’s Kitchen this Christmas. Over the past seven Christmases, I have built a reputation for sharing series-type recipes. The most popular would be my annual 24 Cookies of Christmas, which was fashioned after an advent calendar. But, I have others that are only 12 days, which were fashioned after the 12 Days of Christmas.
Before we get to a list of ingredients and instructions for today’s recipe, let me tell you about this series and more! Welcome, Dear Reader, to my second Christmas series this holiday season! I’m calling this series Lord Byron’s 12 Holiday Breads and Loaves.
Just like every other series that I’ve shared over the years, this one will also see a new recipe shared each day for the next 12 days – even on Saturday and Sunday! You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices. Who wants to prepare the same holiday recipes year after year?
SUBSCRIBE NOW SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS OUT ON NEW RECIPES!
So, welcome, Dear Reader, to Lord Byron’s 12 Holiday Breads and Loaves Series! Even though this is the second series for this holiday season, you can always look back at previous years if you just cannot wait until the next recipe is published. Also, some of my favourite recipe collections from previous years are my 75 Homemade Gifts from Your Kitchen, my 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes, and my 30 No-Bake Christmas Recipes post.
You really don’t want to miss one of these recipes, so if you have not yet subscribed to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, I encourage you to do so. That way, a new recipe will be emailed to you every day. You won’t have to bother to come looking for it! Like in previous holiday recipe countdowns, I like to mix up the recipes in the series so that there is something for everyone. Are you ready!!??
Looking For More Christmas Confections?
Lord Byron’s Kitchen has more than enough to satisfy your sweet tooth! Click on the links below to see a countdown series of holiday recipes from that category!
BAKED GOODS MAKE GREAT GIFTS!
This loaf is so perfect for gift-giving, which is just what I did with it. Not only is this loaf great for giving to a friend or loved one, but it’s so easy to package and transport. It might be just me, but is there anyone else out there who loves to receive kitchen-related products as gifts?
If you’d like to gift this loaf to a friend, here’s what you should do. First, buy a new loaf pan and another kitchen item such as a whisk or a spatula. Bring them home, and wash and dry the loaf pan. Then, bake the loaf right into the new pan.
Once baked and cooled, garnish the loaf in any way you deem suitable. Wrap the loaf pan up in some cellophane, tie a ribbon on it, and attach the whisk or spatula. Now, you’ve got a dessert and a gift all in one! I’d love to get something like that; so thoughtful, right!?
Lord Byron’s Annual Christmas Cookie Series
Did you know that Lord Byron’s Kitchen has been sharing a 24 Cookies of Christmas Series for the past several years? Click on the links below to see all of the recipes from each series on one page!
CANDIED CHERRIES
In this particular recipe, I used one and a half cups of candied cherries in total. I opted to use half red and half green cherries. Obviously, you can use all red or all green if you choose. I love candied cherries and I love how the red and green colours just jump out and create a wonderful contrast to the butter-coloured cookie. They’re perfect for Christmas!
When I’m looking to use candied cherries, Paradise Fruit Company is my go-to source. They have the brightest, most plump, most perfectly round red and green cherries. You can get all of their products online. Be sure to check out the website!
Just for a bit of trivia, let me just add this in here. Candied cherries are basically maraschino cherries that have been processed in a thick, sugary syrup. They become intensely sweet and take on a chewy texture, which works very well in baked goods.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE
The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.
- Flour – No need for anything special. Just use regular all-purpose flour. I have not tried this recipe with any other type of flour.
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Greek Yogurt – This will keep your loaf soft and moist; the tartness of the yogurt will balance out the sweetness.
- Sugar
- Eggs – Make sure the eggs are at room temperature.
- Milk – When baking, I always use whole milk.
- Vanilla Extract
- Canola Oil
- Candied Cherries – These are very popular in Christmas baking, especially in fruitcakes. I buy the whole red and green candied cherries separately so that I can pick which colour I want to use. If you buy them whole, you can chop them if you prefer smaller bits of cherry, like in the case of this recipe I’ve left them whole.
- Walnuts – Walnuts have a mild, buttery flavour which is why they are perfect for cookies and cakes.
HOW TO MAKE A WALNUT AND CANDIED CHERRY LOAF
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a loaf pan and set it aside for now. Sift together one and a half cups of flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
In a second bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and canola oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix the walnuts and candied cherries with the remaining two tablespoons of flour and fold them very gently into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to rest in the loaf pan for 10-15 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
SERVING YOUR LOAF
Here’s the thing about breads and loaves – they both come from humble beginnings. Even looking at it, you can tell that it isn’t pretty, it isn’t spectacular, and it surely isn’t show-stopping. But, that certainly doesn’t mean that your loaf shouldn’t be served with style!
Like scones and biscuits, I think loaves lend themselves quite well to what most people would call English Tea. I like to think of English Tea as an afternoon snack. And, afternoon snacks are terribly underrated! I like to partake whenever time permits. Hot coffee and a slice of this Walnut and Candied Cherry Loaf, or any other sweet treat, is a great break from the 9-5 routine.
With the cooler weather approaching, I can’t think of a better way to serve this loaf than putting out a full set of tea. Sure, it might seem like I have too much time on my hands, but life is short, folks – enjoy it! Take the tea set out of your cabinet, dust it off, and take a well-deserved afternoon break!
QUESTIONS?
If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down to follow me and never miss another recipe!
Do You Like This Recipe?
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Walnut and Candied Cherry Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Greek yogurt, or 14% sour cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 1/2 cup candied cherries
- 1 cup whole walnuts, toasted and cooled
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly grease a loaf pan and for extra security and ease of removing the loaf from the pan after baking, line the loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
- In a second bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and canola oil.
- Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- Mix the walnuts and candied cherries with the remaining two tablespoons of flour and fold them very gently into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to rest in the loaf pan for 10-15 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Nutrition
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