I enjoy adding berries to breads, muffins and other treats, but you don’t always need fresh fruit to get a bright berry flavor. Jam or preserves often provide a concentrated, intense fruitiness that can elevate baked goods more than fresh berries alone. This Raspberry Almond Swirl Bread uses raspberry preserves folded into part of the batter to create a vivid pink swirl with a jammy burst of flavor.
The base loaf is not overly sweet and carries a delicate almond character from both almond meal and a touch of almond extract. The almond meal also contributes a tender, slightly crumbly texture that contrasts nicely with the moist, fruity raspberry swirl. The preserves make that portion of the loaf distinctly sweeter and very flavorful, so each slice feels like two complementary breads in one.
Unlike some quick breads that resemble cake, this loaf leans toward a muffin-like texture, which makes it excellent for toasting. Serve it with a smear of butter or cream cheese, or enjoy it plain—it’s satisfying either way. The top of the loaf is left simple here, but a light sprinkle of coarse sugar or a scattering of chopped almonds before baking would create a pretty, crunchy finish.
Raspberry Almond Swirl Bread
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
6 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/3 cup raspberry preserves
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond meal, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the vegetable oil, buttermilk, vanilla and almond extracts until combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined and no dry streaks remain—do not overmix.
Spoon the raspberry preserves into a small bowl and stir until smooth. Remove about 2/3 cup of the prepared batter and combine it with the preserves, stirring until evenly mixed to create the raspberry batter.
Pour approximately half of the plain batter into the prepared loaf pan. Add the raspberry batter on top, then dollop the remaining plain batter over the raspberry layer. Using a butter knife, swirl through the batters lightly to create a marbled effect—avoid over-swishing to preserve distinct ribbons of color.
Bake for 60–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and let the loaf cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Yields: 1 loaf.