Why? Well, because what else does one bake when the holidays have just passed, so you can’t bear the thought of another cake or – gasp! – cookie…but you’re still in the mood to bake?
{Is now a bad time to mention that double mocha-fudge brownies are on next week’s menu?}
Banana bread is the answer to our post-holiday, January baking cravings. This banana bread in particular is super, super-healthy. Whole wheat? Check. Low in sugar? Check. Three different fruits and the addition of applesauce to replace half the butter? Healthy fats in the form of crunchy walnuts? Check, check, and check.
Guys – did I mention there’s only a half a stick of butter in this recipe? This is serious. It’s so moist, hearty, and flavorful, you won’t know the difference. I initially cut the brown sugar and honey in half when I made this, and I found it wasn’t sweet enough, so I bumped it back up in the recipe I’ve posted here. If you want to play with the proportions yourself, give it a go! And do let me know what you come up with.
You want really ripe, almost totally browned bananas when you make banana bread. That’s when they’re the sweetest, and when you’re using a healthier recipe like this one, you especially want to get the most bang for your buck in terms of sweetness from the actual banana. If, however, you’re working with fresh bananas closer to the green side of things, here’s a little trick: Roast those suckers! Just place them whole on a baking sheet into the oven at 350 degrees, for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until they turn black and their yummy juices start to seep out of the skins.
P.S. I’m trying a new recipe format below – what do you guys think?
| Apple-Blackberry Whole Wheat Banana Bread |
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 medium ripe bananas, chunked
- 2 small apples (or 1 large), grated
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups white whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup blackberries, floured
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease or spray a loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add the applesauce, vanilla, baking soda, salt, bananas, and grated apple, beating until well combined. Beat in the honey and eggs. Add the flour, then fold in the blackberries and walnuts until combined.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Bake for 50 minutes, then gently lay a piece of aluminum foil across the top, to prevent over-browning. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, then remove the bread from the oven; a long toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean.
- Allow the loaf to cool for 10 minutes; then remove it from the pan, and set it on a rack to cool completely.
Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour.
Ahh, I have banana bread in the oven, and I’m planning to blog about it next week. I think you’re right — still in the mood to bake, still overwhelmed by the memories of indulgent holiday baking …
Ashley recently posted..Cookie bottomed cupcakes
Is this is a bad time to mention the sticky buns/brownies/cookies/etc. that have been going on in my kitchen SINCE January 1st! Oy. I need an intervention. In banana bread form.
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