Star-of-the-East Fruit Bread

A festive banana quick bread loaded with chopped maraschino cherries, mandarin oranges, chopped dates and chocolate chips with a decorated drizzle of cocoa glaze.

Recipe Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 3 medium)
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin orange segments, well drained
1/2 cup chopped dates OR Calimyrna figs
1 cup HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

COCOA GLAZE:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Dutch Processed Cocoa
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8 x 4 x 4-inch loaf baking pans.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
3. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with mashed banana to butter mixture, blending well. Stir in cherries, orange segments, figs and chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
4. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. Cool; remove from pans. Drizzle tops of loaves with COCOA GLAZE. Store tightly wrapped.
5. FOR COCOA GLAZE: Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat; stir in corn syrup. Stir in water and cocoa; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Gradually stir in powdered sugar, beating to desired consistency.

Makes 2 loaves.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of the Hershey Kitchens, and reprinted with permission of The Hershey Company. © The Hershey Company.