Banana, Date & Apricot Bread

Did you grow up in a household like mine where food was never wasted?  If so, then your mother probably made banana bread once she noticed the bananas on the kitchen table had turned brown. Let’s face it, moms know best that overripe bananas are perfect for making tasty, moist banana bread. Add some dried fruit and nuts and you have a sophisticated dessert or breakfast treat to please the whole family.

Fruit breads are fun to make as you can experiment using all sorts of different ingredients. For this one, I added dried apricots in addition to dates.  As I didn’t have the pecans the recipe called for, I used what was in the freezer instead: walnuts.

Also, in honor of Ed—the Master of Zucchini cakes—I opted to use mini loaf pans.  This way it’s easier to share the wealth once your delicious fruit breads come out of the oven. Finally, to jazz up this family recipe, I tried sprinkling dark brown sugar on top right before putting the pans in the oven.  Once baked, out came my mini banana bread loaves, each with a delightful, crispy brown crust.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour (plus 1/2 Tablespoon to add to fruit)

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

½ cup chopped dates

½ cup chopped dried apricots

½ cup roasted, chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

¼ cup plain Greek yoghurt or sour cream

2 large eggs (at room temperature)

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 ½ cup well-mashed, very ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)

2 Tablespoons dark (or light) brown sugar for sprinkling

Cooking instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350°F

1.    Position rack in the lower third of the oven.  Grease either 4 mini loaf pans (or one 9 X 5- inch loaf pan) with vegetable spray or softened butter. Line the bottom with parchment paper so that the parchment overhangs the long edges by at least 2 inches.

2.    In large mixing bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and three spices and whisk together. Set aside.

3.    Put chopped apricots, dates and nuts in a small bowl and mix together with 1/2 Tablespoon flour so that fruit and nuts will remain suspended and not drop to the bottom. 

4.    In a medium sized bowl, beat together the orange rind, yoghurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla using an electric mixer. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined well.  Add in the dried fruits and nuts and mix thoroughly.  Then, using a spatula, carefully fold in the smashed banana mixture into the dough until just combined.  Avoid over-mixing or else your cake will be tough.

5.    Evenly divide the batter into four greased pans.  Sprinkle the dark brown sugar on top of each loaf.  Bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (If you use a large loaf pan, you will need to increase cooking time to approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Cool the banana bread in their loaf pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes covered with a cloth.

6.    To store, place your pans in airtight containers or remove from the pans and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. It will keep for up to 5 days at room temperature.  Banana bread also freezes well for up to three months, if wrapped properly.

Makes: Four mini loaves or 1 large loaf.