Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

Nothing smells like a fall kitchen like the aroma of pumpkin cranberry bread!

The incredibly moist inside is studded with tart cranberries and pecans. That combined with the wonderful blend of pumpkin and spices gives the bread a delicious burst of flavor!

This recipe makes a lot of quick bread. I used one bundt pan and four mini loaf pans (which, I might add, are adorable and great for giving away as gifts) or you could use two loaf pans.

You'll be thanking me after you make this! Enjoy!


Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
Adapted from: Shared Sugar

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup oil
4 eggs
2 1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 tsp cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cup chopped pecans (optional, I added)
2-3 cups fresh or frozen (not dried) cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two loaf pans (I used one bundt pan and four mini loaf pans). In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, water, oil and eggs until just combined. In another bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients.

If using frozen cranberries, place them in a strainer and run them under water for a few minutes until mostly thawed.

Then, add cranberries and pecans to the dry ingredient mixture. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix with a wooden spoon by hand. Mix until the batter is combined, but don’t over mix. Distribute the batter equally in the pans, which should fill each about half way.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center (I took my bundt pan out at 50 minutes and the mini loaf pans out at 35 minutes). Cool on a wire rack.

Look at those savory ruby jewels...

....gorgeous, festive and flavorful!

Banana-Espresso Crumb Cake

I've found my new go-to banana bread recipe and I couldn't be more pleased!

{Banana-Espresso Crumb Cake}... ohmygoodness!

I am so happy with how this turned out and will definitely bake this again.The moist cake, topped with crunchy and thick crumbs with a hint of salt makes for a perfect crumb cake.

Banana bread is one of those things like chocolate chip cookies and pot roast; everyone thinks their recipe is the best. So yes, some of you may try other recipes but so you know the one thing you can do, in any banana recipe, to make it better is use very ripe bananas.

I know, I know, of course you use ripe bananas.  In many ways, the entire purpose of banana bread is to prevent wasting fruit that is past its prime. But the way to get the best possible banana bread is to use really ripe bananas. I normally allow my bananas to ripen for fourteen days before I deem them ready.

Now go buy some bananas, let them sit on the counter for a couple weeks, bake this and let me know how delicious it tastes and if it lasts in your house for longer than a day!


Banana-Espresso Crumb Cake
Adapted from: vanilla sugar

Ingredients

Cake
1 and ½ cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4)
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup half & half
1 egg
1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 and ½ packets of Starbucks Via
1 and ½ ts baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup bittersweet chocolate chips (I used semisweet)

Crumb Topping
1 and ½ cups flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon coarse salt (I used sea salt)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 9 pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugar, egg, butter and half & half.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda and salt.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

In a medium bowl combine all dry ingredients for the crumb topping, pour melted butter over and toss with a rubber spatula until large crumbs form. Sprinkle crumbs over batter.

Pour mixture into pan, then top with crumbs.

Bake in the center of the oven for 35 - 45 minutes (I took mine out at 37 minutes). Will be done when a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing and enjoying.

Cranberry Banana Bread

 

The batter for this loaf was very easy to assemble, and by the time the bread was done, the aroma in our home was what I’d like to think is a heavenly scent.

I love how this recipe calls for slices of banana rather than smooth banana. This allowed larger pieces of banana to set in the loaf - yum! I’ve mentioned the nutritional benefits of cranberries but we don’t want to sell bananas short on all their goodness. Bananas are a great source of fiber and vitamin B6 and because bananas are loaded with potassium and considered a great post-workout snack this is all the more reason to eat this after an intense exercise at the gym – and sadly could be used as a reason to justify why my husband and I finished this in one day (shame on us)!

This loaf turned out to be delicious; not too sweet, with the tartness from the cranberries well balanced by the stable banana taste. It was baked just right, nice and moist, with a slightly crispy outer crust. The slices also looked incredibly appetizing, with pretty cranberry red freckles in the brown and white cake. You could also substitute other berries for the cranberries, as they're not so easy to find.

After greasing my loaf pan I coated the pan with a cinnamon and sugar mixture for the crust. It's an extra touch that makes this bread so sweet. I suggest leaving this loaf in for the recommended time. I checked my loaf at 40 minutes and the toothpick came out clean but the middle was not done. Use your best judgment and enjoy this delicious and nutritious flavor filled cranberry banana bread!

Cranberry Banana Bread

Adapted from: The Wilson Farm Country Cookbook

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 small bananas, sliced

1 cup cranberries

1/4 cup water

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 360°F. Grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add in the eggs one by one, mixing well between each addition. Add in the banana slices, the cranberries, the water and the vanilla extract. Mix again until blended, but not too much; it's nice if the banana and cranberries are not completely mushed.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients into the batter, and mix until just combined - do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until the top of the cake is nicely browned and a cake tester comes out clean.

Let rest for ten minutes, then run a knife around to loosen the sides, and turn out on a rack to cool completely.

  

 

Zucchini & Cinnamon Loaf

I know, you can't always judge a book by it's cover but I happen to judge recipes by their pictures. It defines them. It's the recipes first impression. It's rare that I would ever bake something without seeing a picture. Alas, here I am. Frustrated. I cannot capture the wonderful moist deliciousness of this loaf to share with you, to show you, to tease you. So if you're anything like me you're going to have to be brave. Take a leap of faith and trust me when I say that this loaf is truly delightful.

I've been skeptical of Zucchini loafs. I mean, who uses vegetables to bake? I've gone to great lengths to find the perfect zucchini loaf recipe and I can confidently say that I have found it. The flavor of zucchini is often described as 'delicate' which means it will add little flavor to a dish, but what it lacks in flavor it more than makes up for with its lovely moist texture. That's why I chose this recipe. The cinnamon sugar crust and the glaze seemed like they would compliment each other and the zucchini wonderfully. They did. It was perfect.

Zucchini & Cinnamon Loaf

Adapted from: sophistimom

Ingredients

Crust
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Loaf
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
3 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups finely grated zucchini (approximately three small zucchinis)

Glaze
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix together cinnamon and sugar for the crust. Butter 2 medium size loaf pans and sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture, just as you would flour a pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars and butter. Add in eggs, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla, sour cream and zucchini.

Fold dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture, and divide evenly among pans.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let loafs cool completely. Carefully remove from pans.

Mix together confectioner’s sugar, cream, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Add more liquid as necessary to make a smooth, runny glaze. Pour over loafs.