Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy removal.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt until well combined.

In a separate medium bowl, mash the very ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. Stir in the melted butter, room temperature eggs, and vanilla extract until everything is evenly incorporated.

Pour the wet banana mixture into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, mix until *just* combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay. Overmixing can lead to a tough banana bread.

Gently fold in the halved or chopped fresh or frozen pitted cherries until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. If using frozen cherries, toss them lightly with a tablespoon of flour before adding to the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom.

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached. The top should be golden brown.

Let the banana bread cool in the loaf pan for 10-15 minutes before carefully lifting it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slicing it warm is tempting, but letting it cool fully allows the bread to set and prevents it from crumbling.