Cherry Sweet Potato Bread

Here's a flavor combination that I never would have thought to put together, but which goes together beautifully. It's kind of similar to pumpkin bread, but it has a slightly different texture. The cherries add just the right sweetness to go with the fullness of the sweet potatoes. Delish! And the red cherries make it look so festive, don't you think? Oh, btw, just fyi, the original recipe called for the addition of raisins and nuts, but I chose to omit them. As far as I'm concerned, they seemed to clutter everything up. I kinda figured it's not called cherry sweet potato raisin nut bread. It's just cherry sweet potato bread! So, that settled that. If, however, you feel that your life will end if you don't add the raisins and nuts, then by all means, go for it! Who am I to argue?


1 3/4 c flour
1 1/2 c sugar
1 ts baking soda
1/4 ts salt
1 ts cinnamon
1 ts pumpkin pie spice
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 c milk
1 ts pure vanilla extract
15 oz canned sweet potatoes, drained, mashed
1/2 c maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
1 ts pure vanilla extract

Heat oven to 325F.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, salt, soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Add eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Stir in sweet potatoes, and cherries. Pour into well greased bread pan that has been lightly floured. Bake approximately 1 hour (check at 50 minutes). Remove from oven when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.


Tip:
Be sure to chop up the cherries. If you add them whole, they'll sink to the bottom instead of being disbursed throughout the bread.