During this season of Advent, this sweet bread is a great treat to make for and with family members. It's also fun to make to celebrate the Three Kings' arrival on Epiphany, Jan. 6. Lighter than a fruitcake, it's still chock full of things everyone loves such as cherries, oranges and chocolate. This recipe makes two loaves.

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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

1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks

2/3 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries

1/2 cup chopped dates

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanila. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with bananas. Stir in oranges, coconut, chocolate chips, 1/2 cup almonds, cherries and dates.

Pour into two greased 8x4x2 loaf pans. Sprinkle with remaining almonds.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted near middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.