Tuesday 18 February 2014

Valentine's Day


Valentine's Day isn't a very big deal in our house.  Most of the kids have outgrown the Valentine celebrations at school, so I'm not preparing treats to send to school, or sitting for hours watching them painstakingly write out Valentines for their classmates.  Truth be told, I sort of miss all that.  So I decided that there should be a little something pink to greet them in the kitchen when they woke up.


And hearts, lots of hearts.


The cake is the Sweet Soft Cherry Bread with Cherry Almond Glaze from Averie Cooks.  It turned out pretty good, although hers is much prettier than mine.  The almond and cherry flavour is fantastic.


The heart garlands came together easily.  Each heart is three folded hearts glued together, with string running through the centre of each heart to connect them.  I used these printable heart images.


All in all, pretty simple.  Some hearts, a pink cake.  They will always be my Valentines, after all.



Almond Cherry Loaf

Ingredients

One 10 oz. jar maraschino cherries
2 tbsp white all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cup white all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup reserved cherry juice
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze
1/4 cup reserved cherry juice
1 tsp almond extract
Approximately 1 1/2 cups+ confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350F.  Spray two 8x4-inch loaf pans with floured cooking spray or lightly grease and flour the pans; set aside. Recipe may be baked in one 9x5 pan, as 4 mini loaves, or as muffins. Adjust baking time accordingly.**

Remove cherries from jar and place on a cutting board.  Blot with paper towel to dry slightly, then roughly chop them.  Don’t discard the cherry juice, you’ll need it!
Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour (prevents them from sinking during baking) and toss to coat evenly.  Set aside.  

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 3/4 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk together.

In a small mixing bowl, combine eggs, oil, all the cherry juice from the jar except 1/4 cup to be reserved for the glaze, almond and vanilla extracts.  Whisk together.

Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and stir to combine.  Batter will be thick.  Do not over-mix.
Lightly fold in the chopped cherries.

Pour batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops lightly with a spatula.  Bake for about 40 minutes, or until bread is domed, set, springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow bread to cool in pans on top of a wire rack for about 15 minutes before removing and allowing to finish cooling completely on rack. While bread cools, make the glaze.

Glaze

In a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup reserved cherry juice, almond extract, about 1 cup confectioners' sugar, and whisk to combine until smooth and satiny.  Continue to add sugar until desired consistency is reached. Glaze the bread just before serving.






Thank you for featuring me!


The 21st Century Housewife Hearth and Soul Blog Hop I was featured    photo TWTfeatured_zps4mrhyudc.jpg

54 comments:

  1. Beautiful and cake looks yummy! Teresa from NanaHood.com

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  2. Oh I think it is just fantastic to bring a bit into the house even if they have outgrown it! How beautiful are your hearts and your cherry bread looks amazing!!!

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  3. I meant to comment on this in the morning, but I got pulled away.
    It left me wanting that pink cake ALL DAY LONG. Beautiful!!!

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  4. Aww love the hearts and the cakes,,, thanks for linking up :)

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    1. Thanks again for linking up to Creative Mondays,,, featuring and pinning your post this week at the hop :)

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  5. Oh wow, that's stunning-hearts in cake, what's not to LOVE (get it)-popping by from #allaboutyou. Would love you to link up to #tastytuesdays if you fancied: http://honestmum.com/papa-gs-prawns-with-feta/

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  6. Very pretty and very yummy!
    Happy WW!
    :-)
    Traci

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  7. Jenn, I think your cake looks awesome! I love "anything" cherry, so I will definitely be trying this! I just made a delicious carrot cake yesterday, or I'd be making this today :) I know what you mean about Valentine's Day...I miss all those times, too! My kids are all grown up and my grandchildren now range between 3 and 14...time flies!
    Dawn
    @ A Place for Pictures and Memories

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  8. I love the hearts and the cake looks super yummy. What a great Valentine's treat for your people! Thanks for sharing at Tales of a Pee Dee Mama.

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  9. very sweet chickie and the cake looks lovely

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  10. The heart garland is lovely! My boys are still young enough to make valentines. I love watching them get excited about getting crafty! Valentine's isn't my favorite holiday, but I will miss it when they aren't into it anymore.

    Thanks for linking up to our Twirl and Take a Bow Party. Hope to see you again this Tuesday!

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  11. Jenn, I enjoyed your sweet Valentine's post. The hearts are the perfect compliment to the lovely pink loaf! ♥ #PoCoLo

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  12. Love the hearts and cake, and love that your "babies" are your forever Valentine. Thank you for linking up to #AllAboutYou

    Mama-andmore.com

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  13. I love the garland. Thank you for sharing at Time For Mom!

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  14. How utterly beautiful! I wish I'd made some of these!x

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  15. What a beautiful pink cake! Thanks for sharing and linking up with us at the #WWDParty.

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  16. Those hearts are totally adorable, and that cake looks so good! Thanks for sharing, and I am featuring this in this week's What'd You Do This Weekend! Pinned :-)

    Ashley @ PioneerMomma.com

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  17. I love that garland, so creative. Thanks for sharing on the weekend re-Treat link party!

    Britni @ Play. Party. Pin.

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  18. Great Valentine's post! The cake looks amazing! Thanks for sharing with us at the Four Seasons Blog Hop. I am pinning this.

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  19. Gorgeous cake! Thanks so much for sharing at Whip it Up Wednesday!

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  20. So beautiful! I love your heart garlands! Thanks for linking up!!
    ~ Betsy @ Romance on a dime

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  21. Visiting from Tasty Tuesdays. This cake is perfect for Valentines, lovely coloured icing. I would love for you to stop by and share this and other recipes with us over at Sweet and Savoury Sunday. Have a great day!

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  22. You had me at cherries, then you added the almond flavor. Sigh, so much deliciousness in one loaf! I didn't know coating the cherries with flour would help prevent them from sinking. Great tip.

    Thanks for sharing on Tasty Tuesdays! Hope you will join us again next week.

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  23. Can't wait to make this one

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  24. My kids are past the school Valentine's crafts and excitement and I miss it, too. I love that you still found a way to make Valentine's Day special for them. Thanks for sharing at the This Is How We Roll Link Party at Organized 31.

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  25. Hi Jenn, I found this at Weekend Potluck and had to check it out. Sounds delicious!! Pinning it!!

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  26. This looks too delicious! I love the decoration around too! Thank you for sharing recipe!
    Hope you have a wonderful day!
    Hugs and love from Portugal,
    Ana Love Craft
    www.lovecraft2012.blogspot.com

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  27. That cherry loaf looks amazing! That is something my family would really like. Thank you. :)

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  28. Yum! This cherry almond loaf looks so moist and decadent! Pinning!

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  29. Your Cherry Bread looks delicious and a great Valentine treat! Hope you had a great Valentine weekend and thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  30. Congratulations!
    Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you have a great week and enjoy your new Red Plate!
    Miz Helen

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  31. So glad you stopped by and shared this with us.Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!!

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  32. what a lovely idea and those hanging hearts look great with the vintage paper. Thanks for sharing at our #OverTheMoon link up ~ Leanne :)

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  33. This bread looks so delicious!! We are always on the lookout for good bread recipes. I have never made a cherry bread, but I will be definitely giving this a try. Have a blessed week!

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  34. The cake looks delicious and the heart garland is so pretty. How festive!

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  35. This looks like a similar loaf cake that Bob Evans makes.... To die for!! Thanks for the recipe!!!

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  36. Wow, that cake sounds delicious. My favorite flavor combo is cherry and almond so this is right up my alley. Thank you for sharing on Meetup Monday!

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  37. Jen your cake looks amazing and the garland is so so cute!!
    I am pinning them both.

    Thanks for linking on Oh My Heartsie Girls WW this week!!

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  38. Such a yummy treat! Thanks so much for linking up at #OMHGWW!

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  39. I'l admit I'm not really a fan of almonds or cherry but this looks delicious! Thanks for linking up with #TopTipsTuesdays

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  40. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday. I love all things cherry flavored!

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  41. The garland and cake looks so nice.
    Thanks for sharing this at Cooking and Crafting with J&J.

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  42. I love the garland idea! This would be cute with heart cutouts from old valentines or cards that I've accumulated over the years. Thanks for sharing! And this cake...looks awesome! Sort of like a Valentine's version of German Stollen cake...one of my favorites!

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  43. This looks like a perfect recipe to share! Thanks for sharing your recipes with us this week at Brag About It!
    ~Laurie

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  44. Oh my gosh that looks so delicious xx thanks for sharing x

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  45. This sounds so tasty!

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

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  46. You are so crafty, and your cake looks excellent! Thank you for sharing :-)

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  47. Valentine's Day is always so much fun when kids are little - I miss that too, Jenn! Your Cherry Loaf looks beautiful and absolutely delicious - love the gorgeous pink colour. The garland is so pretty too - really vintage and cool. I'll be featuring your post at this week's hop. Thank your for being a part of our Hearth and Soul Hop community.

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  48. Looks delicious and perfect for valentine, Love to try that Cherry loaf, thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop. pinning.

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  49. That cherry loaf looks so good. I need to try it for this Valentine's Day.

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  50. ohhh love the mobile and the cake looks scrumptious!! who can resist cherries anytime of year but so perfect for Valentine's! Thanks for the craft and recipe and sharing at our Valentine's party!

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  51. Dear Jenn:
    This sure looks wonderful! I am especially loving the colors and wouldn't it be great for an Afternoon Tea Tray!

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  52. I have a jar and a half of maraschino cherries on hand and until I seen this yummy cake I had no idea what to do with them. Thank you!

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  53. That almond cherry loaf not only looks yummy but it is beautiful, too! Perfect for Valentine's Day. Just popping in from the Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop at Katherine's Corner and to let you know that I am featuring this recipe on my blog this week for the hop. Please stop by for a visit! Hope to see you at the hop tomorrow. Nina @ Vintage Mama's Cottage http://www.vintagemamascottage.com

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