Cherry Nut Bread

This morning I made one of my favorite holiday recipes - Cherry Nut Bread.  I love the moist pound cake-like texture with flavor of maraschino cherries and pecans, and it's so pretty served as a dessert or for Christmas brunch. The recipe makes four regular-sized loaves, and it takes a little extra time, but it's worth the effort.

Ingredients:

2 cups butter, softened
3 cups sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 jars (10 oz. each) maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
1 cup chopped pecans

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Add egg yolks and vanilla; mix well.  Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk just until blended (batter will be thick).  In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Fold into batter. Fold in cherries and pecans.

Transfer to four greased and floured 8 x 4 x 2 inch loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted near the center and the loaves are golden brown.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.