Name: Glazed Lemon & Dried Cherry Quick Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (divided); 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, softened; 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest; 3 large eggs; 1/4 cup 2% milk; 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice; 1 cup dried cherries; 3/4 cup powdered confectioner’s sugar; 4 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice; 3/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest; Pinch salt

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Easy and positively crave-worthy, this glazed lemon and dried cherry quick bread is fantastic for brunch or an afternoon treat.

It was inevitable. I had to crack at some point. After an entire month of being dessert-free on Cookin' Canuck - well, there was that Carrot Ginger Cupcake incident on my birthday but, come on, a girl's gotta celebrate - I broke down and pulled out the baking pans. After all, it's been a month of Mushroom Caramelized Onion Salads, Yogurt Parfaits, and Turkey Meatball Sandwiches. My sugar levels were dropping dangerously low (snort).

Now, I could pretend that this lemon and dried cherry quick bread is an innocuous little breakfast treat, made relatively guilt-free by the addition of dried cherries, but I would be leading you down the butter and sugar-laden garden path. Let's just call a spatula a spatula. It is a cake. A tart, fruit-filled lemon cake with a glaze drizzled on top at the last minute. Was it worth the indulgence? My taste buds say yes. And my jeans? Well, I am choosing not to ask their opinion.

If you want a less indulgent breakfast option starring dried cherries, try my Pancakes in a Mug. A favorite with my boys!

The lemon & dried cherry quick bread:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 8 ½- by 4 ½-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons flour, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl, using a hand mixer) set on a medium speed, beat together butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition.

Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture, milk and lemon juice. Beat until just combined. Take care not to overbeat or the bread will be tough.

In a small bowl, toss the dried cherries with the remaining 2 tablespoons flour, and gently mix into the batter. Pour the batter into prepared pan and level with a spatula.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs attached, 55 to 65 minutes. Let the bread sit in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the outside and turn the pan upside down to release the bread. Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then glaze.

Glaze:

In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest, and salt until combined. Drizzle over cooled quick bread.

Slice and serve.

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