Crazy Good Banana Bread

I had a couple bananas going brown on the counter, so I decided to make banana bread.  I looked in my recipe box, and found something different.  It was a recipe from Carole Lanthier from Ontario.  I found it in some cooking magazine.  Here goes:

1-1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 medium mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a small bowl beat the  eggs, bananas, butter, coconut, and extract.  Stir into dry ingredients until moistened.  Fold in walnuts and cherries.  Transfer to a greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes.

I didn't have cherries, and I used chopped pecans instead of walnuts, and it was sooo delicious.  I think the almond extract is to blame for the out of this world flavor.  I was never a huge fan of banana bread, but this has converted me.