If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I LOVE baking indulgent treats for those I love and care about.

These little loaves of love are no exception, and pare beautifully with a cup of coffee.  If you’d like to gift them as I did this Valentine’s Day, click here for an easy and heart felt DIY to wrap them up in!

Recipe from www.marthastewart.com

Ingredients

For the Batter
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups dried cherries (or dried cranberries)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

For the Streusel
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour six mini loaf pans (each 5 3/4 by 3 inches, with a 2-cup capacity). Make streusel topping: In a bowl, mix streusel ingredients with fingertips until moist clumps form. Place in freezer.

Make cherry-pecan batter: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a large bowl, whisk butter, sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Mix in dry ingredients until moistened. Fold in dried cherries and pecans.

Divide batter evenly among prepared pans; spread to fill corners. Place pans on a baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, then remove from oven, and quickly sprinkle loaves with streusel topping.Return loaves to oven; bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool loaves 10 minutes in pans; turn out of pans, and cool completely, streusel side up, on a rack.