What do you do when your freezer door won't close? You ram your bum up against it and keep pushing until the realisation hits home that the rule of "thou must taketh something out" kicks in. If rationing ever gets introduced, you'll know where to come - just so you know!
The other day, I took 4 bananas and a half tub of cranberries out of the freezer. Door closed, now what was I going to do with the ingredients? I found this wonderful banana bread recipe on Joy the Bakers site. I'm so happy with this bread. It's spicy, it's moist, it's sweet and it's just a teeny bit tart. It's absolutely perfect. It's very different to any of my other banana bread recipes in that the taste of the bananas doesn't come through very strong but they give it that lovely moist texture. Such a simple recipe and definitely one I'll be making over and over again.
Banana and Cranberry Bread, adapted from Joy The Baker
I have been asked by some US readers if I could use cup measures or at least the imperial measurements. Happy to oblige when I can.
Ingredients
3 large or 4 medium bananas, mashed
70g (1/3 cup) butter, melted and cooled slightly
50g (1/4 cup) white sugar
70g (1/3 cup) brown sugar
1 egg beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp dark rum (optional)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
120g (3/4 cup) plain flour
115g (3/4 cup) spelt or wholemeal flour (I used spelt)
100g (1 cup) fresh or frozen cranberries
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) and grease and line a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin. With a wooden spoon, mix the butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla and rum, then the spices. Sprinkle the baking soda over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour, mix. Add the cranberries, and stir until just incorporated.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
The bread very nice and delicious,abrazos hugs,hugs.
ReplyDeleteThis is my absolute favorite sort of recipe. Straightforward, fun to make, using real ingredients, and absolutely delicious. The only thing I'd change is taking the (optional) part out of the rum! Necessary, I say :)
ReplyDeleteLovely looking loaf. I like using cranberries and having that tart contrast to the sweet bakes. I also have the same problem as you with the freezer and I think I've got some cranberries in there too.
ReplyDeleteRosita, a (semi!) healthy recipe - I'm lovin it just now.
ReplyDeleteYasmeen, Haha, I like your thinking on the rum.
Choclette, Still have 3 more tubs of cranberries in my over flowing freezer. There'll have to be a few more cranberry themed posts soon!
Great idea! I love baking with bananas so will have to give this a go too.
ReplyDeleteHow I laughed when I read this! I've just done the weekly shop and had to shoulder charge the freezer to close it!
ReplyDeleteBaking Addict - If you get around to baking this, let me know what you think!
ReplyDeleteThe CC - If my freezer was twice as big, it'd still be full most of the time. I am officially a muppet!
This sounds lovely, I always have black bananas to use up! Lovely photos too :)
ReplyDeleteHahaha love that you have a secret stash of mars bars, that's a good idea - I might just have to start up one too! You made banana bread too! it looks so pretty and the cranberries studded through it add such a lovely vibrance! Joy the baker is always a good source of inspiration isn't she!
ReplyDeleteCMAT - Working hard on my photos. Have quite a way to go though!
ReplyDeleteCCG - I'm a hoarder of everything, most especially chocolate. Believe me, I'm not proud of it! Think I might like to move in with Joy The Baker and Smitten Kitchen.