Cherry Banana Bread

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5 from 7 votes

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www.theconsciousplantkitchen.com

This Cherry Banana Bread is a fruity version of the classic banana bread, but made with no refined sugar, no eggs, no dairy, and full of fresh, bursting cherries, fresh or frozen.

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Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 5

Servings: slices

Calories: 189.7kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

Ingredients

1 ½ cups Mashed Bananas equivalent to 3 large ripe bananas (note 1)
⅓ cup Maple Syrup (note 3)
⅓ cup Mild-Flavor Olive Oil (note 4)
½ teaspoon Almond Extract (note 5)
½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 ½ cups Self-Rising Flour (note 2)
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 cup Cherries pitted, haved, fresh or frozen (note 6)

Topping

½ cup Sliced Almonds
5-6 whole Cherries

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Slightly oil the paper with cooking spray.
If using fresh cherries, remove their stems, press each cherry lightly with the bottom of a glass or anything flat. The cherries will crack, and you will be able to remove the pits easily, splitting the cherry in half at the same time. Repeat until you get a cup of packed pitted cherries. Set aside.
Mash the bananas, pack them in a measuring cup to measure exactly 1 cup + 1/2 cup, and place them in a mixing bowl.
Stir in the maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.
Fold in self-rising flour, cinnamon, and use a rubber spatula to combine. It should form a thick, smooth banana bread batter.
Fold in the pitted cheries and the little juice it has released when pitting.
Stir to evenly incorporate in the batter.
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.
If you like, press a few cherries on top - pitted or not - I didn't pit mine because it looks better, but then watch out for the pits when eating the bread. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top and lightly press to stick to the batter.
Bake the bread in the oven at 350°F (180°C) on the center rack for 50-60 minutes. If the top of the bread darkens too fast, foil the pan after 30 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the bread cool down in the pan for 10 minutes, then release and cool completely on a wire rack for about 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

Note 1: Choose bananas with black spots on their skins to increase moisture and sweetness in the crumb. Always mash the bananas, then pack in measuring cups to use the exact amount needed.

Note 2: You can swap it for 1 cup + 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and stir in 3 teaspoons of baking powder. Use my gluten-free conversion guide to make it gluten-free.

Note 3: Or agave syrup or coconut nectar.

Note 4: You can use any oil with a low flavor, like canola oil or melted refined coconut oil.

Note 5: Optional, but trust me, almonds and cherries taste amazing together!

Note 6: Pit and half the cherries, don't cut into smaller pieces for best taste. You can use frozen pitted cherries too, no need to thaw before.

Oven Mode: I use the fan-forced (convection) mode. If you have to use conventional mode, I recommend increasing the temperature by 25°F (15 °C). The baking time should be the same, but it might take a few more minutes.

Storage: Store the banana bread in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Nutrition