Banana Bread

Are you one of those who is never tired of collecting recipes? I don’t know about you, but I am one of those who gets excited at recipes in magazine and newspapers even while sitting at the docs office :). With hundreds of recipes piled up everywhere in my bookcase, in the midst of my cookbooks that I have been collecting in years, every once in a while I’d love to sit with a cup of coffee and dig in my treasures, pick one then set to try it out. Such is the case with this banana bread. Moist, not too sweet, and baked to golden with a nutty crunch inside, what else could I ask for on a warm spring day. Wanna try? Then hop on to the recipe…..It’s quick and easy too.

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup All Purpose Flour

¾ cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp Salt

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon powder

½ tsp nutmeg powder

¾ cup chopped walnuts ( you can use almonds, pecans or any nut of your choice)

¼ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup golden raisins

¼ cup rolled oats

¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut

2 eggs (at room temperature)

½ cup vegetable oil (use melted butter if you prefer the buttery taste. Who wouldn’t love that!)

½ cup plain yoghurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup mashed banana (I used 2 large ripened bananas)

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. I baked at 325F since I used a non stick pan that is dark. If you are using one of those aluminum ones then increase your temp to 350F.
• Brush a loaf pan with melted butter and set aside. I used a 9 X 5 inch loaf pan
• Measure the all purpose flour and set aside. Make sure you fluff the flour with a fork before measuring it out. After fluffing, scoop with the measuring cup and level it off with a knife for accurate measurement. I used a measuring cup to do this. When it comes to baking measuring accurately pays off at the end.

How To:

• Make sure the oven is preheated to the required temperature as mentioned above.
• In a bowl, mix all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries, oats and sweetened shredded coconut so they combine well. Set aside.
• In another bowl, whisk eggs, vegetable oil, yoghurt, vanilla extract, and mashed banana so they combine well. Add the flour, spice and nut mixture above to this and gently stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Bake for about 55 – 60 mts or until a tooth pick inserted inside the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown in color. Oven temperatures differ. Keep an eye on the loaf by checking at about 40 mts and continue baking if required accordingly. It took about an hour for me at 325 F but might take a little longer or less than that depending on the pan, temp of your oven.
• Cool 30 minutes in the pan on a rack, then turn on to the rack to let it cool completely.
• Serve with hot coffee or with a dollop of butter on top and warm milk on the side.