Can I use maraschino cherries or dried cherries?

Technically, yes, but I don't recommend it. Maraschino cherries would change the flavor of the bread a lot. If you use dried cherries, I recommend soaking them in hot water for 10 minutes first to soften them but they still won't give you the best flavor. Fresh cherries are the best option here.

Can I make it dairy-free and gluten-free?

You can use vegan yogurt like a good, thick coconut yogurt for the batter, and grease your pan with vegan butter. I always use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour so all my baking recipes are made to work as gluten-free. I don't recommend skipping the eggs.

Cherry Banana Bread

Name: Cherry Banana Bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour); 1 tsp baking soda; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; 2 large eggs; ¾ cup cane sugar; ½ cup avocado oil (or other cooking oil); 2 tsp vanilla extract; ½ tsp almond extract (optional); ½ tsp fine sea salt; 1 cup mashed ripe banana (2-3 bananas); ½ cup Greek yogurt (I use full-fat Greek yogurt); 1 cup pitted and chopped cherries (approx. 15 cherries, plus more for garnish if desired); 1 tbsp tapioca starch (or arrowroot starch or cornstarch); Knob of butter and ½ tbsp flour (for greasing the pan); 1 tbsp turbinado sugar

Description

This Cherry Banana Bread is gluten-free, and it's made with fresh cherries for the best flavor! It's soft, moist, and not overly sweet. It's also really easy to make and very freezer-friendly!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
3/4 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup avocado oil (or other cooking oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana (2-3 bananas)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I use full-fat Greek yogurt)
1 cup pitted and chopped cherries (approx. 15 cherries, plus more for garnish if desired)
1 tbsp tapioca starch (or arrowroot starch or cornstarch)
Knob of butter and 1/2 tbsp flour (for greasing the pan)
1 tbsp turbinado sugar

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs, cane sugar, avocado oil, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), and fine sea salt until well combined.
Add mashed banana and Greek yogurt and whisk well again.
Add the dry ingredients in two batches and whisk gently until just combined; don’t overmix.
In a separate small bowl, toss together the chopped cherries and tapioca starch.
Fold the cherries into the banana bread batter.
Grease your loaf pan with a knob of butter and dust with flour, tilting the pan to cover all sides. Turn it upside down over the sink and tap the sides to get any excess out.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and garnish with extra cherries and sprinkle with turbinado sugar if desired.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60-65 minutes or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Wait for at least an hour before slicing to give the bread time to set, so it doesn’t fall apart while slicing. Enjoy!

Notes

Storing: I recommend storing the bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Because of the cherries and banana, I don’t recommend storing the loaf at room temperature for more than 1 day. You can also freeze it in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container for 3-5 months. Place a piece of parchment paper between your slices to avoid them freezing together.

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