Ingredients

The following ingredients have 12 Servings
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 2 1/2 cups flour (+ 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1 cup coconut flakes (I used sweetened)
  • 1 1/2 cup pitted cherries (thawed if using frozen)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instruction

  • Place the thawed pitted cherries in a colander to drain any excess water. Leave them in for 1 hour if possible. Pat them gently with paper towels to absorb any excess water. Skip this step if using fresh cherries; just place the pitted cherries into a bowl.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Lay the bottom of a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl combine: flour (except the 1 tablespoon), baking powder, and salt, set aside.
  • In the bowl on an electric mixer fitted with the wire attachment, whisk together eggs and sugar for 1 minute, until fluffy and combined. Add the ricotta and mix on medium speed until combined, add the canola oil and coconut extract, mix until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
  • With the mixer on low - medium speed, mix in the flour mixture until well combined.
  • Using a spatula fold in the coconut flakes, once evenly distributed sprinkle the cherries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour, shake them gently to cover all the cherries and fold the cherries into the batter, carefully not to crush them.
  • Transfer the batter into the baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven until the bread is set and golden on top, about 50 - 60 minutes. Start checking at the 45 minute mark as every oven is different. A toothpick inserted into the center of the bread should come out almost clean, with just a few cooked crumbs attached.
  • Let the bread rest into the baking pan for 15 - 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Once the bread has completely cooled, work on the glaze.
  • Mix sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl until fully combined and very smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the bread. Let it settle for 15 minutes, cut and serve.