Holiday Banana Loaf

This is a bread that I make at holiday time as well as during the year. Double the recipe to have enough for smaller gift loaves.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter or 1⁄2 cup margarine, softened
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped walnuts
• 1⁄2 cup  fine  shredded coconut
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped cherries
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  mashed banana

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar well.
2. beat in eggs, 1 at a time beating well after each addition.
3. Add vanilla and stir.
4. Measure first amount of flour, add baking soda and baking powder and salt into separate bowl and stir.
5. toss walnuts, coconut and cherries with second amount of flour in another bowl.
6. Add flour in 4 additions alternately with banana in 3 additions, beginning and ending with flour.
7. Add fruit mixture, mix only until blended, do not overmix.
8. turn into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.
9. Bake in 350F oven for 50-60 minutes or until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean.
10. Let stand for 20 minutes.
11. Turn out onto a rack to cool.