This Cherry Almond Banana Bread takes your standard banana bread up a notch with juicy cherries and a crunchy almond topping.
What Makes This Recipe Special
This recipe maintains the comforting familiarity of banana bread while adding a few special touches. Dark sweet cherries throughout the loaf pair beautifully with the warm almond flavor, and the crispy almond topping is the cherry on top that turns this into the perfect sweet treat.
How to Serve Cherry Almond Banana Bread
Serve this Cherry Almond Banana Bread slightly warm or at room temperature. For breakfast or brunch, pair a slice with your morning coffee or tea. For an afternoon treat, try warming a slice and serving it with vegan yogurt or vanilla ice cream.
Key Ingredients
Overripe Bananas: The spottier the better! Overripe bananas provide natural sweetness, moisture, and that classic banana bread flavor. For the strongest banana flavor, use bananas that are heavily spotted or nearly black.
Dark Sweet Cherries: These cherries bring a sweet-tart flavor throughout the loaf. Fresh dark sweet cherries work best. Simply pit and halve them before folding into the batter.
Almond Extract: A small amount goes a long way in creating that distinctive almond flavor. Pure almond extract is preferred over imitation for the most authentic taste.
Sliced Almond Topping: Creates a beautiful, golden topping that also adds wonderful textural contrast to the soft interior.
Recipe Details
Equipment
- 9 x 5-inch Loaf pan
- 2 Large mixing bowls
- Fork
- Spoonula or wooden spoon
- 1 Small mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 4 Very ripe bananas
- ½ cup Evaporated cane sugar
- 1 tsp Almond extract
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ cup Vegan butter or refined coconut oil, melted
- 2 Tbs Flax seeds
- 1 cup Dark sweet cherries, pitted and halved
- ½ cup Sliced almonds
- 2 tsp Evaporated cane sugar
- 2 tsp Vegan butter or refined coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
- Combine 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp baking soda in one of the large mixing bowls.
- In the second large mixing bowl, mash 4 very ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small chunks remaining.
- Add ½ cup evaporated cane sugar, 1 tsp almond extract, and 1 tsp salt to the mashed bananas and stir to combine.
- Add ½ cup melted vegan butter or refined coconut oil and 2 Tbs flax seeds to the banana mixture and stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow flax seeds to absorb moisture.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold together until just combined with no large lumps.
- Toss 1 cup pitted and halved dark sweet cherries with a small amount of flour. Gently fold into the batter.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- In the small bowl, combine ½ cup sliced almonds, 2 tsp evaporated cane sugar, and 2 tsp vegan butter or coconut oil with your fingertips to create a crumble. Sprinkle evenly on top of the loaf.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.
Tips for Perfect Cherry Almond Banana Bread
Banana Ripeness: For the sweetest, most flavorful bread, use bananas that are very ripe. These bananas are sweeter and easier to mash, resulting in moister bread with more intense banana flavor.
Cherry Distribution: To prevent the cherries from sinking to the bottom of the loaf, toss them in a small amount of flour before folding them into the batter. This helps them stay evenly distributed throughout the bread.
Flax Seed Preparation: For best results, mix the flax seeds with the wet ingredients and allow them to sit for 5 minutes before adding the dry ingredients. This gives them time to absorb moisture and develop their binding properties.
Almond Topping Timing: If your almond topping is browning too quickly during baking, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking time.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead Tips
This banana bread is wonderful served fresh from the oven while it’s still slightly warm. It also makes a great make-ahead option, as the flavors actually deepen and meld after a day or two.
Storage Guidelines
- Counter: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. This preserves the best texture and keeps the almond topping crisp.
- Freezer: Wrap individual slices or the entire loaf (once completely cooled) in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. This is the preferred method for long-term storage, as refrigeration can dry out the bread.
Reheating Instructions
To serve from frozen, thaw at room temperature for a few hours. For warm slices, microwave individual pieces for 15-20 seconds or warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for about 5 minutes.
Substitutions
Fresh Cherries: If fresh cherries are not available, frozen or canned cherries can be used. Be sure to thaw as needed and drain well to prevent the loaf from becoming soggy.
Flax Seeds: Substitute an equal amount of chia seeds or use 2 commercial egg replacers prepared according to package directions.
FAQ
Q: Why did my banana bread sink in the middle?
A: This is usually caused by underbaking or opening the oven door too early in the baking process. Make sure to test for doneness with a toothpick and allow the bread to bake until the toothpick comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Q: What if my bananas aren’t very ripe?
A: Underripe bananas won’t provide the same natural sweetness or moisture that very ripe bananas do, and they’ll be harder to mash, leaving chunkier pieces in the batter (which isn’t necessarily bad if you like texture). If your bananas are only lightly spotted, you can increase the sugar by 2-3 tablespoons to compensate for the lack of sweetness. If possible, it’s best to let your bananas ripen on the counter for a few more days until they’re heavily spotted.
Cherry Almond Banana Bread
Equipment
- 9 x 5-inch Loaf pan
- 2 Large mixing bowls
- Fork
- Spoonula or wooden spoon
- 1 Small mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 cups 240g All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 4 Very ripe bananas
- ½ cup Evaporated cane sugar
- 1 tsp Almond extract
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ cup Vegan butter or refined coconut oil melted
- 2 Tbs Flax seeds
- 1 cup Dark sweet cherries pitted and halved
Topping
- ½ cup Sliced almonds
- 2 tsp Evaporated cane sugar
- 2 tsp Vegan butter or refined coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
- Combine 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp baking soda in one of the large mixing bowls.
- In the second large mixing bowl, mash 4 very ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small chunks remaining.
- Add ½ cup evaporated cane sugar, 1 tsp almond extract, and 1 tsp salt to the mashed bananas and stir to combine.
- Add ½ cup melted vegan butter or refined coconut oil and 2 Tbs flax seeds to the banana mixture and stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow flax seeds to absorb moisture.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold together until just combined with no large lumps.
- Toss 1 cup pitted and halved dark sweet cherries with a small amount of flour. Gently fold into the batter.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- In the small bowl, combine ½ cup sliced almonds, 2 tsp evaporated cane sugar, and 2 tsp vegan butter or coconut oil with your fingertips to create a crumble. Sprinkle evenly on top of the loaf.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing and cooling completely on a wire rack.
