So G’s work hours have changed and usually he is out of the house before I am. So this time around I whipped up something that could be eaten as breakfast to make sure G would have something to eat in the early mornings.We had a few old bananas and apples lying around so I wanted to make something that would use them up so I wouldn’t have to throw them out. So I did my usually food blog search and this recipe popped up.
I found the recipe on Buttercream Barbie but the recipe is actually from the Sweet Melissa Baking Book.
The only change I made to the recipe was that I added some walnuts to the top of the batter before baking. I just cant have banana bread without nuts.
Here are some pictures from my batch and I have pasted the recipe below the pics. Enjoy!
I used Golden Delicious apples instead of Granny Smiths
Caramelizing the apples first is really important because they have to be room temperature when you add them to the batter. This is just a bit of butter and brown sugar.
Creaming my sugar and butter
The recipe calls for freshly squeezed orange juice but I just used Tropicana.
This is after my eggs and juice have been added.
Apples are all done!
Banana mash :-)
Had to add those walnuts.
All done. Yummers!
RECIPE:
For the apples
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the banana bread
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups very ripe mashed bananas (2 to 3)
1. Before you start: Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°F Lightly butter and flour a 1 1/2-quart loaf pan. 2. To make the apples: Preheat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and brown sugar and heat until bubbling. Add the apples and cinnamon and sauté until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. To make the banana bread: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 1 to 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. 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 until combined. Then stir in the reserved apples.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 to 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.
