BANANA RECIPES: Hallelujah Banana Bread . . . Cherry Banana Bread

Hallelujah Banana Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ cups coarsely chopped walnuts

2 large eggs

1½ cups mashed bananas

¼ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir together well to blend. Stir nuts into flour mixture until evenly distributed.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Add bananas, sour cream, vanilla and melted butter, and mix with a spoon or rubber spatula until well combined.

Make a well in center of the flour, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir together with a spoon or large rubber spatula until ingredients are fully combined. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Cover loaf loosely with foil to prevent it from overbrowning and continue baking another 25 to 40 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Baking time at 325 will vary depending on oven. This loaf is large and may require total baking time as long as 90 minutes (including 40 minutes at 325 degrees).

Remove from oven and cool loaf in pan on a wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 1 loaf.

Cherry Banana Bread

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided

½ cup whole-wheat flour

½ cup brown sugar

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 egg

2 egg whites

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup mashed banana (roughly 3 medium bananas)

½ cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick vegetable spray. Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder and nutmeg in a small bowl; stir to blend.

Whisk together egg, egg whites and oil in a large mixing bowl. Stir in applesauce and banana. Blend in dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Toss dried cherries in remaining 1 tablespoon flour; fold into batter. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour, or until set and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to stand 10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow to cool on wire rack.

Yield: Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 171 calories (27 percent from fat), 5 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 16 milligrams cholesterol, 29 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams protein, 125 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

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