Recipes and Cooking Chocolate-Cherry Banana Bread 3.8 (8) 1 Review Make banana bread a little extra special by stirring in dried cherries and cocoa powder. You can give this delicious banana bread recipe as a gift, or save it for yourself -- we won't tell. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on September 12, 2012 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Adam Albright Prep Time: 30 mins Cool Time: 10 mins Bake Time: 40 mins Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins Servings: 20 Yield: 2 loaves Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients ½ cup snipped dried cherries ¼ cup amaretto, brandy or orange juice 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 ½ cup mashed ripe bananas (4 to 5 medium) 1 cup sugar ½ cup vegetable oil or melted butter ¼ cup pecans, toasted and chopped Directions Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of two 7 1/2x3 1/2x2-inch loaf pans or 7x4x2 1/2-inch paper lined wooden baking pans; set aside. In a small saucepan combine cherries and amaretto. Heat over low heat just until mixture comes to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside. In a medium bowl combine eggs, bananas, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in soaked cherries and pecans. Spoon batter into prepared pans; spread evenly. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. If necessary to prevent overbrowning, cover loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans (if using wooden pans, do not remove from pans). Cool completely on rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 173 Calories 7g Fat 26g Carbs 2g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 20 Calories 173 % Daily Value * Total Fat 7g 9% Saturated Fat 1g 5% Cholesterol 19mg 6% Sodium 106mg 5% Total Carbohydrate 26g 9% Total Sugars 15g Protein 2g Vitamin C 1.2mg 6% Calcium 30.3mg 2% Iron 0.9mg 5% Potassium 112mg 2% Folate, total 24.2mcg Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg Vitamin B-6 0.1mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.