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Gift of the Magi Bread

Gift of the Magi Bread
"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."
32 ServingsPrep: 15 min. Bake: 50 min. + cooling

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 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 flaked coconut
  • 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup sliced almonds, divided
  • 1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
  • 1/2 cup chopped dates

Directions

  • 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.
  • Pour into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Sprinkle with
  • remaining almonds. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a
  • toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10
  • minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
  • Yield: 2 loaves.
© Taste of Home 2013

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Gift of the Magi Bread (continued)

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 slice) equals 159 calories, 7 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 21 mg cholesterol, 120 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.
© Taste of Home 2013