Description
This Easy Cranberry Banana Nut Bread is a moist and flavorful quick bread perfect for breakfast or dessert. Packed with ripe bananas, tart cranberries, and crunchy nuts, it offers a delightful balance of sweet and tangy flavors with a hint of cinnamon spice. Simple to prepare and bake, it’s a comforting treat ideal for festive occasions or everyday enjoyment.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add-ins
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ¾ cup dried cranberries (or fresh/frozen cranberries tossed in 1 tablespoon flour)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until well combined to ensure an even distribution of leavening agents and spices.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and brown sugar together using an electric mixer or by hand until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which helps incorporate air for a tender crumb.
- Add Eggs and Bananas: Beat in the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition. Then add the mashed ripe bananas and vanilla extract, mixing until the wet ingredients are fully combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring gently just until no flour streaks remain to avoid overmixing which can make the bread tough.
- Fold in Nuts and Cranberries: Gently fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans and cranberries, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating doneness.
- Cool the Bread: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes to firm up, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing to maintain its shape and texture.
Notes
- You can substitute applesauce for half the butter to make the bread lighter and reduce fat content.
- For a festive twist, add orange zest to the batter or drizzle a simple orange glaze over the cooled bread.
- Store the bread wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage to maintain freshness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
