I love banana breads. I first learned how to bake with banana breads. I love the idea you take something that has reached its due (overripe bananas) and then turn it into something even more delicious. I have made several banana breads in the past and with different recipes and I can’t say I was every satisfied with the outcome which was why I never posted about banana breads. But THIS recipe however, I think is a keeper. I was a bit apprehensive at first because it uses vegetable oil, I thought the bread would come out really dense and wet because the mix itself looked like that.
The outcome was moist and fluffy bread and best of all, I like that it doesn’t use any of those fermented diary ingredients such as yoghurt or sour cream. Previously when I did bake with these items, the bread always comes out too dense or wet or there’s uneveness in the layers.
Although the original recipe calls for dried cranberries, I don’t have dried cranberries at that time….what I have was raisins. Lots of them courtesy of my sis-in-law at one point who thought J-man was still into raisins. They’re in these cartoon character boxes from Tesco and they come in 4 boxes a packet. Well, J-man is not into raisins anymore so anything I bake for now, I’ll see if I can use up the raisins. But you can use other dried fruits and it should be totally fine.
I enjoyed this banana bread very much and it was gone in a few days. Even J-man who’s rather picky with cakes was chomping away. This recipe is definitely a keeper. I can modify it with different flavours next time too.
Banana, Raisin and Nut Bread
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup fine sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used sunflower oil)
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins (or use any other dried fruits)
- 1/2 cup walnuts (toasted and pounded to fine pieces)
- 3 large bananas (mashed)
- Pre-heat oven to 180C. Grease and line a loaf pan. Sieve and mix all your dry ingredients; the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar.
- Toast your walnuts for 10 – 15 mins. I find this really brings out the aroma. Put the cooled nuts in a bag and pond them with a cup or kitchen hammer to a crumble.
- Mix the walnuts and raisins into the dry ingredients, I prefer to do this so I won’t get clumps and I don’t have to fold so many times later.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together; the eggs, oil, vanilla and milk.
- Pour the wet ingredients to the dry along with the mashed bananas. With a spatula, fold until you’ve incorporated everything but don’t be too fastidious. A few lumps here and there is fine.
- Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour 15 mins or till top is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the bread.
- Tip; If you find the top of the bread browning too quickly but the inside is still wet, cover the top with foil and let it continue to bake in the oven. Did you know you can also freeze overripe bananas and use them for later?
Tip; If you find the top of the bread browning too quickly but the inside is still wet, cover the top with foil and let it continue to bake in the oven. Did you know you can also freeze overripe bananas and use them for later?
Enjoy!
Hehe I like to bake with vegetable oil, cos I always forget to take out butter to leave it to get to room temp. Then have to wait another 30 mins before I can start 😛
but if the recipe calls for melted butter then no need to wait for it to thaw right? I still have ripe frozen bananas in the fridge, always the case of the last banana being consumed to late. Will make this again with butter to see if there’s a difference.
Thanks for trying this bread out Sharon. I baked this often as there are always over-riped bananas on the kitchen counter.
Hi Gert, thanks for recipe. Have wanted to try this out for the LONGEST time, my problem is i always have one banana that’s too ripe for consumption but too little to bake with. Have to store and freeze till i have enough. Haha. It’s a really good banana bread, my family really enjoyed it.