Chocolate Chip and Cherry-Banana Bread

Chocolate chips and cherries go bananas in a bread that puts a new twist on a classic.

Makes 1 loaf (16 slices)

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup halved red and green candied cherries
1/2 cup chopped nuts

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom only of 1 loaf pan, 9 x 5 x 3 inches, or 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches, with shortening; lightly flour.

2. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well mixed. Beat in bananas, sour cream and eggs. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips, cherries and nuts. Pour into pan(s).

3. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (if bread becomes too brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil about 10 minutes before end of bake time). Cool 15 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan(s); remove from pan(s) to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) Use 1/2 cup sugar and 1/3 cup butter. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake 9-inch loaf 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Bake 8-inch loaves 45 to 55 minutes.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving: Calories 295 (Calories from Fat 115 ); Total Fat 13 g (Saturated Fat 6 g); Cholesterol 45 mg; Sodium 230 mg; Total Carbohydrate 40 g (Dietary Fiber 2 g); Protein 4 g

Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 6 %; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 2 %; Iron 8 %

Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 1 Fruit; 2 1/2 Fat

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Success:
For nicely shaped bread with no rim around the edge, only the bottom of the pan is greased and floured.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Betty Crocker 2007/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved