Who wants to make super moist banana bread? Everyone, that's who. This Cherry Pecan Banana Bread is hands-down the best quick bread I've ever made. This easy banana bread recipe makes two big loaves and I love how thick and creamy the batter is, made with cream cheese to keep it extra moist and tender.
Prep Time: 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 55 minutesminutes
Total Time: 1 hourhour25 minutesminutes
Servings: 24slices
Calories: 271kcal
Ingredients
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
zest of 1 orange
pinch of kosher salt
3Tbs. Jamaican rum may substitute orange juice
Banana Bread
3cupsall-purpose flour
1/2tsp.baking powder
1/2tsp.baking soda
1/2tsp.kosher salt
3/4cupunsalted buttersoftened
8oz.pkg cream cheesesoftened
2cupsgranulated sugar
2large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananasapprox. 3-4 bananas
1tsp.pure vanilla extract
16oz. jar maraschino cherrieswell drained and chopped
1cuptoasted chopped pecans
Instructions
Make the Glaze
In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients, whisking until smooth.
Make the Banana Bread
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour with baking powder, soda, and salt; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter with the cream cheese and sugar until very soft; beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the mashed bananas and vanilla.
Using a spatula, gently fold in the prepared flour mixture, chopped cherries, and pecans, combining every thing JUST UNTIL THE INGREDIENTS ARE INCORPORATED. DO NOT OVER MIX AT THIS STAGE!
Cut a wide sheet of parchment paper the length of each bread pan, placing the parchment paper into each one, creating a "sling", letting each end hang down over the long edges of each pan. Spray each pan and the parchment paper with non-stick baking spray. Divide the prepared banana bread batter between the two prepared pans, spreading it out evenly on top. Trim the parchment paper on each side of the pans so that there's still enough hanging over the edge to be able to lift the loaves from the bread pans after they have baked.
Bake the banana bread, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of each loaf comes out clean.
While the loaves are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together until smooth. When the loaves are done and come out of the oven, drizzle the prepared glazed over the top of each one. Cover each loaf of bread with foil, sealing it around the edges of each pan. and let cool completely.
When bread has fully cooled, use a knife to loosen from the ends of each pan, then use the parchment paper "slings" to lift each loaf from its pan. Place the loaves into into an air tight container. Bread freezes well, also.
Notes
After you add the dry ingredients, cherries, and pecans to the ingredients in your mixing bowl, be sure that you don’t over-mix the batter. The ingredients only need to be combined at this point – very important!
The best bananas for making banana bread are the ones that are black and mushy. You know, the ones that are way over-ripened that you want to toss out.
Over-ripened bananas can be tossed into a freezer bag and saved for later use. I recommend that you go ahead and peel the bananas, then smash them with a fork before putting them into the freezer bag. This makes it a quicker process when you are ready to use them.
Feel free to add chopped walnuts instead of pecans in this recipe. We prefer pecans, but walnuts are delicious as well.
When the banana bread comes out of the oven, immediately drizzle it with the rum glaze, spreading it evenly over the top of each loaf. Next, cover each bread pan with foil, tightly crimping it around the edges of each pan. Let the bread cool completely with the foil covering.
If you prefer not to use Jamaican Rum in the glaze, the orange juice still makes a delicious glaze that really compliments the banana bread.
The parchment sling ensures that you will always be able to easily lift the loaf of bread out of the bread pan – such a reassurance. A parchment sling can be used for baking nearly any type of bread.
Make sure the banana bread is completely cooled before enjoying it. Warm quick breads can seem a bit gummy – let them cool first and the flavor will be much more distinct and enjoyable.