Add a loaf of this Cherry Banana Bread to your baking plans. This easy banana bread is loaded with chocolate and cherries and makes the perfect breakfast or afternoon snack.
A few months ago, I decided to let a few of the bananas sit a little longer on the counter. Spotty squishy bananas really do make the best banana bread!
I had an extra jar of cherries and chocolate chips that I wanted to throw into my favorite banana bread recipe.
The glaze on top is totally optional. The banana bread with cherries didn't need it, but really, why would you pass on a pretty pink glaze like that?
I never get tired of baking with bananas. Honestly, I think it is the most used ingredient in our kitchen. It's just so delicious in smoothies, cake, muffins, and scones.
Thank goodness my family loves banana treats as much as I do. They are always ready to taste test my newest creation and give me feedback. My daughter said that this banana bread with maraschino cherries would have been better without the cherries. She is a little crazy because she only wants chocolate in her banana bread.
I'm the complete opposite. Give me a loaf of classic banana bread loaded with all the fun flavors. This cinnamon toffee pecan banana bread is more my style!
How to make Cherry Banana Bread
- Drain your jar of maraschino cherries very well. Cut each cherry into quarters and pat them dry. Let them sit on paper towels until you need them.
- Cream your butter, sugar, and extract until creamy. I love almond extract with cherries, so that is what I used this time, but feel free to use vanilla if you prefer that more.
- Add the eggs, smashed bananas, and Greek yogurt and beat the mixture again. Feel free to substitute sour cream if you do not have any yogurt. Either one works and tastes delicious.
- Sift together the dry ingredients and slowly mix them into the banana mixture.
- Bake the loaf until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out with just a few sticky crumbs. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes, then flip the bread out onto a plate to cool completely.
- Drizzle the glaze over the top of the bread and let it set before you slice it. Or go ahead and eat it while the glaze is sticky and gooey. It's pretty delicious that way.
Recipe FAQs
Stir a little bit of flour into your mix in's to keep them from from sinking to the bottom of the sweet bread as it bakes.
More Ways to Use Ripe Bananas
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Recipe
Cherry Banana Bread
Add a loaf of this Cherry Banana Bread to your baking plans. This easy banana bread is loaded with chocolate and cherries and is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Ingredients
For the Bread
- 1 - 16 ounce jar maraschino cherries
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup smashed banana (usually 2 medium)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour + 2 teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup miniature chocolate chips
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cherry juice + 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick spray.
- Open the jar of cherries and drain the juice into a cup. Save the juice for later.
- Cut each cherry into quarters and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chopped cherries on a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
- Beat the butter, sugar, and extract until creamy. Add the eggs, banana, and yogurt and beat again.
- Stir together the 1 ½ cups flour, baking soda, and salt and stir into the banana mixture.
- Stir 2 teaspoons of flour into the cherries. Add the cherries and chocolate chips to the banana batter gently.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 65-75 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out with a few sticky crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Place a plate on top and flip the bread out. Turn the bread upright and cool completely.
- Stir together the powdered sugar and cherry juice. Drizzle over the top of the cooled bread and let set.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 335Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 235mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 2gSugar: 44gProtein: 4g
Brooke
Hi! If I want to use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt, is it a 1:1 swap?
Jocelyn
Yes, that's a perfect swap. I hope you enjoy the sweet bread!
Kate
I'm not sure what I did wrong but I failed! When I was spooning the batter into the loaf pan I thought it seemed like a lot, so I mostly filled it and still had batter left over. Put it in the oven for awhile and it overflowed! Now I have no banana bread and a mess to clean up lol. Must be my measurements or something!
Jocelyn
Oh, no! That stinks! The only thing I can think is that your loaf pan is probably smaller than the one I used. I would check that before making bread again.
Beth
Can you use frozen cherries?
Jocelyn
Yes, you can use frozen cherries in this bread. Make sure to thaw and drain them very well. I would even pat them dry with paper towels to remove the excess moisture before adding them to the batter. I hope you enjoy the bread!
Mildred
Do I have to use bananas I can't eat them they make me sick
Jocelyn
No you cannot leave the bananas out of a banana bread recipe. I would suggest making this chocolate chip zucchini bread and adding the cherries to it. https://insidebrucrewlife.com/chocolate-chip-zucchini-bread/
Lynn
can you add nuts to this
Jocelyn
You sure can! I would do 3/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of your favorite chopped nuts. I hope you enjoy it!
Ludwina Hancock
How can I incorporate cherry pie filling into banana bread?
Jocelyn
I have not tried using pie filling in a banana bread, so I don't have a great answer for you. My guess would be to place half the batter in a bread pan, swirl 1/2 cup pie filling, then repeat the layers one more time. Adding the pie filling is going to affect the bake time, but I'm not sure how much longer. Keep an eye on it and start checking at the 60 minute mark. You want some moist crumbs, but not raw batter. Keep me posted on how it turns out, as I'm very curious on this fun twist.
Patricia
I would like to make this in mini loaves....what would the baking times be for 3x5 pans
Please reply. Thanks.
Patricia
Jocelyn
I have actually never baked this particular recipe in any other pan, so I don't have an exact time for you. My guess is to fill the pans half full and bake for 30-40 minutes. Start testing the bread with a toothpick or knife at 30 minutes and continue baking it until one of those comes out with a few sticky crumbs on it. I hope that helps and you enjoy the bread!