Let me start by saying how grateful I am for grocery delivery, because that’s how the story of this recipe began. Granted, it started with a bit of a mishap! Last week we added four bananas to our online shopping cart and when they arrived… well, there were a lot more than four! Our shopper misread the order and sent us four full BUNCHES, which came out to a whopping total of 27 bananas. Now, we love bananas in our house, but between the three of us I think it would take a full month to eat them all! To make the most of the situation, I decided to attempt a new “Merry Morning” Banana Bread recipe for Christmas day.
While banana bread is always delicious, it’s not necessarily a treat that comes to mind for the holidays. That’s what I’m here to change! By adding Christmas-y cinnamon, chocolate, and a pop of bright red cherries, this recipe is perfect for Christmas morning or even dessert.
My Inspiration:
I adapted thes recipe from a similar one by Taste of Home. For an even more Christmas-y flavor, I added cinnamon and vanilla, and I also increased the amount of cherries for additional color. Instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips, I went with dark chocolate because of how well it pairs with cherries. I also subbed out one cup of all-purpose flour for spelt flour.
About Spelt Flour:
If you’ve never baked with spelt flour before, I encourage you to try it! It bakes similarly to all-purpose flour but with a sweet, nutty flavor. Spelt flour also packs a nutritional punch as a whole-wheat flour with more protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals. (But don’t let that fool you into thinking this bread is a health food. Spoiler alert: It’s not!)
The Recipe
“Merry Morning” Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 c butter, softened
- 1 c sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 c all purpose flour
- 1 c spelt flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 c mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
- 1/2 c dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 c chopped walnuts
- 1/3 c quartered maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, until combined.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add to the creamed mixture.
- Mix in the bananas until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips, walnuts, and cherries.
- Bake for 60-80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments below, especially if you make it! I think it’s about to become a Christmas morning favorite for the Duncan family.
xoxo,
Cara
Ohhhh this looks and sounds so delish!! I would love to try some!
It’s even better than I hoped it would be!
Yum yum yum!! This looks so delicious! I love banana bread in general and I adore this fun holiday twist on the classic! I am so making this on Christmas eve!
It’s so yummy and so easy! Let me know how it goes!