Tasty Banana Bread with Dried Cherries

 

Tweaking a classic banana bread 

works for me, 

particularly when 

dried cherries are in the mix!

 

 

As bananas ripen to their prime squishiness ~ when they are barely yellow ~ but streaked with black and brown, even solid black, that’s the time to make banana bread.  

 

 

 

By then, by being overripe, more starch has converted to sugar, making them sweeter, and more aromatic, plus they’re easier to mash.  There’s no such thing as a "too-ripe banana" when making banana bread.

 

Mmmm, chopped dried cherries!

Ready for the oven!

 

Voila!

 

Sprinkle demerara sugar over the top of the bread before baking, if desired.  Demerara is a raw cane sugar with large sparkling golden brown crystals on the crunchy side.  

It’s popular as a sweetener for coffee and tea.  The unique texture and exotic rich molasses-like flavor of it makes it exceptional for many sweetening and baking needs, it bakes without melting.  

 

I use the sugar when a little crunchiness is good, as in sprinkling over crumbles, scones, muffins, coffee cake; any item which might have an otherwise uniform texture, such as this banana dried cherry bread.  

This recipe is an adapted recipe from Cherry Republic.   I’ve purchased their dried cherries and more for many years.  The cherries are big, plump and juicy, a great addition to your baked goods or any recipe where raisins or cranberries are called for.  

I always add them to stuffing during the holidays, it makes the dish extra special and delicious!

This great bread is not too sweet, which I like, and is lovely with a cup of coffee.

 

 

This quick bread is very moist and tasty! It's packed with dried cherries for extra flavor, and is perfect for breakfast, or a snack ~ it's even good enough to be dessert; plus, it makes a great gift too.

The dried cherries transformed classic banana bread into a truly delectable treat!

 

Believe me ~ one loaf won’t last long!  

 

 

Banana Bread with Dried Cherries

Servings: 2 loaves, 24 slices

Prep time: 15 MinCooking time: 60 MinTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

This quick bread is moist and tasty! It's packed with dried cherries for extra flavor, and is perfect for breakfast, or a snack ~ it's even good enough to be dessert; plus, it makes a great gift too. The recipe is an adapted recipe from Cherry Republic.

Ingredients

• 4 cups white flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons cardamom
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup Cherry Republic Dried Cherries
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 large egg whites
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups (from 8 medium bananas) ripe bananas, mashed
• 2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 6 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Demerara sugar for sprinkling, if desired

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Lightly coat two 9 X 5 inch loaf pans with nonstick baking spray.
3. In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardomom and cinnamon.
4. In large bowl, with mixer on medium-high speed, beat sugar, egg whites, and egg until almost doubled in volume.
5. On medium speed, beat in bananas, buttermilk, and oil until well combined.
6. With rubber spatula, gently fold in flour mixture until just combined. When combined, add cherries.
7. Pour batter into prepared pans, smoothing top.
8. Sprinkle demerara sugar over top, if desired.
9. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
10. Let cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes.
11. Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire rack.
12. Can be stored, tightly wrapped, at room temperature up to 3 days or in freezer up to 1 month.

Notes:

Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, if desired.

 

Enjoy!