I wanted to try something a little different but was not sure where I wanted to go with this banana bread.  After reading about a recent banana bread experience over at Bakers’ Banter, I thought I would take a look at the King Arthur Flour banana bread recipe.  Using that for inspiration, I decided to wing it from there with my secondary inspiration being my fridge and pantry.  In 13 days I am moving to East Tennessee so packing, cleaning and trashing are in my very near future.  Time to clear out the pantry!  This recipes should actually list the ingredients as “whatever is left in the honey jar”  but I have included estimates for your convenience.  I highly recommend putting your own twist on it and tossing in what ever is hanging around in your pantry.

Clean Out Your Pantry Banana Bread

The Ingredients

• 4 ounces unsalted butter, at cool  room temperature
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 medium mashed ripe bananas (about 14 – 15 oz.)
• 2 tablespoons  apricot preserves
• 1 Tbs honey
• 3 Tbs Maple syrup
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/4 cups Flour, all-purpose
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup sugar

The Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan. Mix the peanut butter and granulated sugar together and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt,  and mix till smooth.
3. Add the mashed bananas, jam, honey, maple syrup and eggs, and mix until smooth.
4. Add the flour and mix stirring just until smooth.
5. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips until evenly combined.  Very gently stir in 1 Tbs of the peanut butter and sugar mixture until it is distributed in the dough until they are only small pieces, about half the size of a pea.
6. Spoon the 2/3 of the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth it level.  Take the remaining peanut butter mixture about a 1/2 teaspoon at a time and squish it flat in between your fingers.  Lay the flat pieces on top of the mixture, side-by-side, creating a long strip of peanut butter in the middle of the loaf.  Top with the remaining 1/3 of the batter and smooth the top.
7. Bake the bread for 45 minutes, then gently lay a piece of aluminum foil across the top, to prevent over-browning.
8. Bake for an additional 25 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven; a long toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean, with at most a few wet crumbs clinging to it.
9. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Remove it from the pan, and cool it completely on a rack.

Inspired by King Arthur Flour Banana Bread.

More recipes available in my recipe archive.

This time, I didn’t want to make my standard banana bread. I wanted it to be a bit more healthy than normal. So I came up with a new concoction that involves whole wheat flour and flaxseed meal. I also substituted some of the butter and added walnuts for some healthy fat. In the end, I think I have created a pretty tasty banana bread. I find that it is the perfect denseness, but it does have a “whole wheat taste.” It is also not nearly as sweet as my normal banana bread. You can choose to adjust the recipe to make it a bit sweeter, if you need yours to be sweet.

One lesson learned: this was my first time using a silicone bread loaf pan that I got on sale from Bed, Bath and Beyond. I now know why those particular ones were on sale. The walls were a bit too flimsy and my loaf expanded out to the sides. Still a tasty banana bread, but a bloated looking one.

Enjoy!

A Better Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup vanola oil
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 6 medium overripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flours, flaxseed meal, baking powder baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Mix in eggs, spices and vanilla. Add the mashed bananas until well blended.
4. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Stir in walnuts until evenly distributed. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

DIRECTIONS

1. In a food processor, add the flour, flaxseed, salt and yeast and process for about 5 seconds for it to mix.
2. While running, add honey, butter, dry milk, brown sugar and then the water. You might not need all the water, you might need more. You should have a nice, well-defined, not too sticky ball. If it is too dry, add a bit more water and process for 5 or so seconds.
3. Grease a large bowl with butter or oil. Knead the bread and then shape into a ball and place into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a wet paper towel and allow dough to rise for at least 2 hours until it has almost doubled.
4. Deflate the ball, shape it again and then let it rest on a lightly floured surface for 15 minues, covered.
5. Shape the dough into a rectangle, then shaped it into the loaf by folding the two long sides towards each other, then pinching them together, flip it over and tuck the short end down. Pat the bread down into a buttered or oiled 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Cover and let it rise for about an hour, until it almost level with the top of the pan.
6. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F. Brush the top of the bread with some water and place it in the oven for about 45 minutes. You know it is done when the bottom makes a hollow sound when you tap on it, or it reaches 200 F internally.
7. Remove from pan and place on wire rack. Wait until it cools before you slice it!