Sunday, August 23, 2009

SMS: Mom's Banana Apple Bread



This week's recipe for Sweet Melissa Sundays was chosen by Joy of Hot Oven, Warm Heart. The recipe is Mom's Banana Apple Bread. I was a little skeptical about apples and bananas together so I did what the intro to the recipe said and just made the banana bread part, and added walnuts. While the bread was baking, it smelled so yummy. With the nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon..it reminded me of the holidays!

The recipe was very easy to make and it tasted DELICIOUS!

For the Apples:

2 T unsalted butter
3 T firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp pur vanilla extract

For the banana bread:

2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg (I didn't use freshly ground)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 c. fresh orange juice (no oranges; used made orange juice)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 c very ripe mashed bananas (2-3)

I added 3/4 c chopped walnuts

1. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 1 1/2 quart loaf pan.

2. Preheat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and brown sugar and heat until bubbling. Add the apples and cinnamon and saute until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitte with the paddle attachment (I used a hand held mixer with regular beaters), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

5. In a small bowl, combine the orange juice and vanilla.

6. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three batches, alternating with the orange juice mixture, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each flour addition. Stir in the mashed bananas (and walnuts, in my case) until well combined. Then stir in the reserved apples.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to cool further.

Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

13 comments:

Nina said...

The walnuts must have made the bread super yummy!

<3

Lulu the Baker said...

Oooooh, you have to try it again with the apples. It was HEAVEN!! Or you could just make the apples and eat them straight out of the pan. They were really good that way too! ;)

Anonymous said...

Looks delicious!!!

Jennifer said...

That loaf looks beautiful and sounds delicious!!

Anonymous said...

The addition of apples sounds good to me. I could add apples to anything. Your loaf still looks great even though you rejected MY apples. I will get over it.

Truthfully, I would like it as a banana bread too. You did a great job based on that photo.

Flourchild said...

Nicelooking bread! I loved this recipe and was so happy with the apples!

Heidi said...

Apple bread reminds me of fall. YUMMY :)

Lauren of Fried Pickles and Ice Cream said...

ohhhhh, you have to try it with the apples :P soooooo good! your bread looks delicious!

Unknown said...

Your bread looks awesome but seriously, you have to try it with the apples! They really made the bread for me :) In fact, mine barely made it into the batter they were so delicious!

Fit Chick said...

I was so moist with the apples, I will try shredding them next time. Your bread looks so good.

Joy said...

Hi Michelle!

I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to stop by and comment sooner- I’ve been really under the weather for the past two weeks, so unfortunately I haven’t been on the computer too much… but I’m glad I had the chance to read your post. Thank you so much for baking along with me this week! I’m really happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, even sans the apples! The walnuts sound like a delicious addition though :) Your loaf rose so beautifully- fantastic job!

I hope you’re doing well- have a great rest of your week! Hope to hear from you soon!

<3,
Joy

Libby@CookingWithLibby said...

This looks great! I love banana bread recipes :)

Katiecakes said...

Yummy! Bet the walnuts were a great addition!

Katie xox