Recipe: Chocolate-Cherry Banana Bread

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY BANANA BREAD

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar (or sugar substitute blend* equivalent to 2/3 cup sugar)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, beaten (or 1/4 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed)
1/4 cup fat-free dairy sour cream
1/4 cup fat-free milk
2 teaspoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup mashed banana (about 2 medium very ripe bananas)
8 maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat the bottom and 1/2-inch up sides of a (9x5x3-inch) loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, milk, egg, and oil. Stir in mashed banana and vanilla. Add sour cream mixture all at once to flour mixture; stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in chopped cherries, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. This bread freezes well.

Makes 1 loaf, 16 slices
Source: Better Homes and Gardens