• Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Prepare a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with a light coating of nonstick cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper so the ends hang over the sides for easy removal and cleanup.

Prepare the Cherry Bread Batter

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt until evenly blended. Set the dry ingredients aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, use a hand or stand mixer on medium speed to cream together softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar for 2 or 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Mix in vanilla and almond extracts until smooth and fragrant.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low.
• Add half of the dry ingredient mixture and mix just until combined.
• Pour in all the whole milk and 3 Tablespoons of cherry juice, mixing until incorporated.
• Add the remaining dry mixture, mixing only until the batter is smooth and no streaks of flour remain. Don’t overmix the batter.
• Gently fold in the chopped maraschino cherries using a rubber spatula, ensuring they are distributed throughout the batter. The batter will be thick, which helps the bread rise high and form a domed top.
• Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with your spatula.
• Tap the pan lightly on the counter to release large air pockets.

Bake the Sweet Cherry Bread

• Bake on the center rack for 55 to 60 minutes until the top is golden and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached, but no wet batter.

Let It Cool

• Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack.
• Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment paper and transfer it directly to the wire rack.
• Cool completely before adding the glaze.

Prepare the Glaze

• To make the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons of cherry juice and the almond extract until the glaze is smooth, glossy, and pourable but not too thin.
• Adjust the consistency of the glaze as needed by adding more cherry juice for a thinner drizzle or adding a bit more powdered sugar for a thicker texture.

Add the Glaze to the Cherry Bread

• Pour or drizzle the glaze generously over the cooled loaf, letting it gently drip down the sides.
• Allow the glaze to set for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.