Cherry Banana Bread

Submitted by cellar door

"I plan on making this for the holidays and serving it with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. A faux banana split complete with bread? What else could be better? The original version of this recipe is from Easy Home Cooking. I've listed vegan alternatives for those who want to make the bread without animal products."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 1 loaf
• Serves: 16

ingredients

• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries
• 1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup sucanat or 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1⁄3 1/3 cup butter or 1/3 cup margarine, softened
• 2 eggs or 1 mashed ripe banana
• 1 cup mashed ripe banana

directions

1. Drain maraschino cherries, reserving 2 Tablespoons juice.
2. Cut cherries into quarters.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
4. Combine sugar, butter, eggs [or ONE mashed banana], and reserved cherry juice in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed 3-4 minutes or until well mixed.
5. Alternate between adding flour mixture and mashed bananas, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. If the mixture seems a bit too dry, you might want to try adding some water at the end. I suggest adding it a teaspoon or so at a time.
6. Stir in drained cherries.
7. Grease a loaf pan and spread batter evenly in pan.
8. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until brown.
9. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack. To store, wrap in plastic wrap or foil and keep in a cool, dry place.

Reviews

[Sydney Mike]

Although I'm not concerned with making something like this animal-free, at least not for the 2 of us, I do appreciate having the ingredients listed to do just that, since I have friends who prefer eating that way, & with the end-of-year holidays coming up . . . . Anyway, this time around it was just for us & a neighbor couple, & we thoroughly enjoyed it ~ Very flavorful & a wonderful change of pace in the looks! Thanks for sharing this neat recipe! [Made & reviewed for one of my adoptees in this fall's round of Pick A Chef]