Twelve Days of Baking - Day 8

Today's recipe is called Gift of the Magi Bread. I haven't decided if the name comes from the fact that the bread is so full of little goodies or because you're supposed to give it away as a gift. Either way, it's quite yummy - a mash up of banana bread and fruitcake. I think I will make it a tradition to bake this bread every year on Epiphany.

 

 

Gift of the Magi Bread

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1 cup mashed bananas

11 oz can mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries

1/2 cup chopped dates

 

Combine butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture and bananas alternately to the sugar mixture. Stir in range segments, chocolate chips, coconut, nuts, cherries, and dates. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Makes 2 loaves.

 



Peel...Again!

It's still cold, but slowly getting warmer. At least the rain has stopped for now, and I can see blue sky out my window!

I decided to warm my apartment up by baking more banana bread. Thankfully, I have now made a good sized dent in those frozen bananas.

Anyway, I used the same recipe from the last time but with a couple of adjustments. I didn't have quite enough white sugar, so I used half brown sugar and half white. I also added a couple of heaping teaspoons of Chinese 5 spice powder. It turned out great. I wasn't sure if the brown sugar work in the recipe, but it didn't cause any problems. In fact, I think it enhanced the flavor of the bread. I might try switching out some of the white sugar with brown in some of the other quick bread recipies I make and see how they turn out, too.

Since it looks just like the last loaves I made, except for being a little bit darker in color, I'm not going to bother with posting a picture here. Once again, if anyone wants any banana bread, just come and get it.

Peel!

I cleaned out my freezer the other day and was surprised to find 15 bananas hiding out in there. When I buy bananas and they get too ripe for my taste (I like them most when they are still pretty green,) I freeze them to use later in banana bread. Obviously I hadn't made any in a while, so I decided to use some of them up today.

I'm proud to say it turned out really well. I made two loaves, so if anyone wants some, come and get it!


Here is the recipe I use. It is by far my favorite banana bread recipe. I came across it a few years ago, and haven't used any other since. It's called Banapple Bread because it uses a mixture of mashed banana and applesauce.

Banapple Bread
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I don't ever use nuts with this)
3 1/2 cups flour
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla
3 ripe bananas, mashed well
add enough apple sauce to make 2 cups total

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Fill pans with equal amounts of batter. Bake 1 hour or until done.

Today, for a little variety, I added a couple of teaspoons of Chinese Five Spice Powder. Yummy.