April Recipe: Raspberry-Banana-Pecan Bread

It’s time for another recipe! First, the recipe. Then, me blathering onward about my occasionally questionable culinary capabilities and the memories this particular feast holds for me.

• The Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 beaten eggs or 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup mashed raspberries
  • 1/2 cup ripe banana, mashed
  • 1/4 cup applesauce or oil
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
• The Way of Preparing
  1. Oven to 350°F, 177°C, gas mark 4
  2. Stir together the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda.
  3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs or 1/2 cup applesauce, sugar, berries, banana, applesauce or oil, and zests.
  4. Add your wet ingredients into the spiced flour mix and stir until just combined.
  5. Stir in nuts.
  6. Pour batter into a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan that has been greased.
  7. Bake for 60 – 70 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test.
  8. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Bring to room temperature and wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and allow to mellow overnight.
• Notes
  • Use the same amount of mashed strawberries or blackberries, or 1 full cup of fresh or frozen blueberries or cherries for a variant of whatever you have on hand!

I’m just on a banana kick lately. Last month it was cookies, this month bread!

The first time I made this, it was in my Freshman year of high school back in 1999. My group made it with strawberries, so I couldn’t have any, but it smelled really good. I’ve since altered the recipe so I can enjoy it. I’m not overly fond of walnuts, so I use pecans instead.

Happy baking!