Almond Tea Bread With Blueberries or Cherries

Here is a little different take on Almond Bread. It is made with almond paste and has fruit stirred in. It is truly wonderful, moist and delicious; and it freezes very well.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) can almond paste
• 1⁄4 cup butter or 1⁄4 cup margarine, softened
• 1  cup sugar
• 3  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups fresh blueberries, chopped or 1 1⁄2 cups  pitted chopped cherries
• 3  cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 1⁄3 tablespoons baking powder (1 tablesoon plus 1 teaspoon)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; reserve.
2. Combine allmond paste and butter in a large mxing bowl; beat until well blended.
3. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Combine blueberries (or cherries) and 1 tablespoon of the flour, tossing gently. Reserve.
6. Combine remaining flour with baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
7. Spoon 1/3 of batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with half of dedged fruit. Repeat the layers once; spoon remaining batter on top and smooth with a spatula.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.