Holiday Fruit and Nut Banana Bread

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup margarine
1 cup mashed very ripe banana (2 or 3)
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
1/4 cup candied chopped citron
1/4 cup candied chopped orange peel
1/4 cup candied chopped pineapple
1/4 cup candied chopped red cherries
1/4 cup raisins

Instructions

Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl including the sugar. Cut in margarine with a pastry blender to a coarse crumb consistency. Beat in the banana and eggs with low speed of mixer for a few minutes. Stir in all the othe r ingredients by hand. Place mixture into a well greased and floured 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Bake in a 350F oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until tested done in center with toothpick. Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Then remove to cool completely. When cool, wrap well and let mellow overnight before slicing. Yield: 1 large loaf