Fresh Cherry Bread Topped with Homemade Buttercream Cherry Frosting
Jun 09, 2026
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This fluffy and moist cherry bread loaf is topped with a fluffy layer of buttercream frosting—all made with fresh cherries. The naturally dark pink color of the buttercream looks beautiful without any artificial food dye. It’s the perfectly sweet, tart slice of dessert or appetizer to pair with any meal.
Here at The Produce Moms, cherries are one of our favorite fruits for their antioxidants and deep red color. They always catch our eye in the produce aisle!
As much as we love snacking on cherries, we wanted to create a little blend of fresh and baked cherries. So, we added fresh cherries to our Greek yogurt-based bread loaf and made a super easy cherry frosting with just 5 ingredients.
Fresh cherry bread with buttercream frosting is sponsored by Northwest Cherries.
This cherry bread recipe is not too sweet, and the juicy pops of cherry complement the fluffy bread and the creamy, tart cherry frosting. You and your family will love the natural sweetness of this eye-catching dessert.
If you’re a cherry lover like we are, be sure to check out more cherry recipes at the end!
Ingredients
For the fluffiest cherry bread and a naturally pink buttercream cherry frosting, you’ll need two can’t-miss ingredients. Be sure that you have these two before you get started. For a full list of ingredients, be sure to check the recipe card.
Cherries
Fresh cherries are available from June through August, so we love to take advantage of them during the season. We used Northwest Cherries in both the bread loaf and the cherry frosting recipes. The deeper red the cherries are, the sweeter they are, and the more vibrant your frosting will be. Look for a glossy, deep red or almost black color for naturally sweeter bread.
Related: 7 Myth Busting Facts About Cherries
Greek Yogurt
We like using Greek yogurt as a kind of shortcut to moist bread every time. The natural acidity in yogurt softens the gluten for softer, more fluffy cherry bread. Greek yogurt also adds moisture, so the bread doesn’t dry out during baking and copies the tanginess of sourdough without waiting for it to ferment. It’s a not-so-secret ingredient that you don’t want to skip!
How to Make Cherry Bread
This cherry bread recipe is so simple and easy to make, so we love having our kids come help us. Get your wet and dry ingredients ready, and let’s make some cherry bread!
Step 1: Prep the cherries.
Rinse the cherries under running water. Remove the stem with your fingers and use a pairing knife to cut around the pit. Twist each half in opposite directions to separate them and use your fingers to remove the pit. Set your cherries aside in a bowl until you’re ready to fold them into the batter.
Step 2: Mix wet ingredients.
In a stand mixer (or hand mixer), beat the softened butter and sugar until it develops a fluffy-looking texture. Then add the vanilla extract, eggs, and Greek yogurt and beat until combined.
Step 3: Mix dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour and baking powder. Then transfer to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until they are incorporated. Use a spatula to fold two-thirds of the cherries into the batter.
Step 4: Transfer and bake.
Use the spatula to transfer all of the batter into a lined loaf pan (make sure you scrape the sides). Spread the rest of the cherry halves over the top of the batter and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Bake at 350℉ for 50-60 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the fresh cherry bread to a wire rack to cool completely (about 15-20 minutes) so the frosting doesn’t melt.
How to Make Fresh Cherry Buttercream Frosting
You’ll need a food processor or blender for this five-ingredient buttercream cherry frosting. Then it comes together quickly. Feel free to make extra for other desserts and appetizers!
Step 1: Puree and reduce the cherries.
Puree the fresh cherries in a food processor or blender—both work great. Transfer your cherry puree to a small saucepan. Cook it over medium heat, stirring frequently until the liquid reduces to a few tablespoons with a jammy consistency. Remove from the stove and let it cool.
Step 2: Whip the butter.
Meanwhile, whip the butter and half of the powdered sugar in your stand mixer until airy and fluffy, about five minutes. Then add the vanilla extract and half of the cherry reduction and mix just until it’s combined. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix again. Last, add the rest of the cherry reduction and salt, and mix to combine.
Use a knife to spread a layer of frosting over the fresh, cooled cherry bread loaf and serve.
Tip: For a silky-smooth, airy buttercream texture, be sure to add the powdered sugar in phases so it incorporates with the butter.
Why We Love Northwest Cherries
Seasonal produce always gets us excited for specific times of the year. The growers for Northwest Cherries look forward to harvest time as much as we look forward to finding their fresh cherries in our grocery stores. They are grown across 5 states in the Pacific Northwest: Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Utah. The growers for Northwest Cherries take a lot of care in delivering ripe cherries full of nutrients for you and your family. Let’s enjoy them all season long!
Look for the cherry logo when selecting your cherry bread and frosting ingredients.
Related: Cherry Season: A Nutritional Powerhouse
More Fresh Cherry Recipes You’ll Love
- Cherry and Lime Slushie – classic drive-in slushy made with whole ingredients
- Microwave Cherry Cobbler – ready in two minutes!
- Cherry Yogurt Bark – 5 minutes of prep for a nutritious mid-day snack
- Whipped Cherry Goat Cheese – great with charcuterie, brownies, or even a sandwich
- Homemade Cherry Limeade – summertime in a glass
Fresh Cherry Bread with Cherry Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
Cherry Bread Loaf
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ⅔ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ cups cherries pitted and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Fresh Cherry Icing
- 1 cup cherries de-stemmed, pitted, and halved
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted and divided)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Cherry Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line the loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Pit and roughly chop the cherries and set them aside.
- Wet Ingredients: Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Then, beat the vanilla extract, eggs, and Greek yogurt until incorporated.
- Dry Ingredients: Mix the flour and baking powder in another mixing bowl. Then, add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient bowl and mix.
- Fold in ⅔ of the cherries into the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Evenly place the remaining cherries on top and sprinkle with brown sugar.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cherry loaf cake cool completely on a wire rack, about 15-20 minutes.
Cherry Frosting
- Use a blender or food processor to puree the cherries.
- Reduce the puree in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until reduced. Remove the reduction from the stove to cool.
- Whip the butter and half of the powdered sugar in a stand mixer for about 5 minutes, until fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and half of the cherry reduction and mix until just blended. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and mix again. Last, add the remaining cherry reduction and salt, and mix to combine.
- Spread the cherry frosting on top of the cooled cherry loaf and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
