Gift of the Magi Bread

Total Time Prep: 15 min. Bake: 50 min. + cooling
Yield 2 loaves
Test Kitchen Approved
"I make this extra-special banana bread only once a year to celebrate Christmas," says Sandra Bonow of Lewiston, Minnesota. "It's loaded with scrumptious ingredients such as coconut, mandarin oranges, dates, cherries, chocolate chips and almonds."

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
  • 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup sliced almonds, divided
  • 1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
  • 1/2 cup chopped dates

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with bananas. Stir in the oranges, coconut, chocolate chips, 1/2 cup almonds, cherries and dates.
  2. Pour into two greased 8x4-in. loaf pans. Sprinkle with remaining almonds. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Nutrition Facts

1 slice: 159 calories, 7g fat (4g saturated fat), 21mg cholesterol, 120mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (16g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.

"I make this extra-special banana bread only once a year to celebrate Christmas," says Sandra Bonow of Lewiston, Minnesota. "It's loaded with scrumptious ingredients such as coconut, mandarin oranges, dates, cherries, chocolate chips and almonds."
Recipe Creator

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