Spiced Banana Bread with Dried Fruits

For Christmas ou just Winter time, why not bake a delicious creamy banana bread or banana cake, this is a dense cake but not too sweet, that will keep well for several days and you can get perfect slices to spread with jam or nutella if you have a sweet tooth.

With spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cumin, this version of banana bread acquires an even more welcoming Christmas flavor profile. Also the addition of dried fruit, such as hazelnuts (or walnuts, almonds, whatever you like), adds a crunchy texture that contrasts well with the softness of the dough.

For a perfect banana bread, use very ripe bananas, the riper they are, the sweeter and more aromatic the result will be. Once made, you can cut slices of the cake and put it in the toaster to make it even a little crispier (hence the name banana bread). Another good tip is that if you want to add nuts to the batter, the ideal is to mix the nuts with a little flour before adding the batter, which helps distribute the nuts evenly, preventing them from all sinking to the bottom of the cake. Let’s get to the recipe!

Spiced Banana Bread with Dried Fruits

Servings: 12
Time: 1hr 30mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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Indulge in the warm, comforting flavors of American spiced banana bread, where ripe bananas meet a delightful blend of aromatic spices. Topped with crunchy hazelnuts, this treat is perfect for any time of day!

Ingredients

Sugar – 180gr
Flour – 260gr
Baking Powder – 1 teaspoon
Bicarbonate of Soda – 1 teaspoon
Butter – 120gr
Butter – To grease
Eggs – 2 L
Bananas – 4
Milk – 1 tablespoon
Honey – 1 tablespoon
Hazelnuts – 20gr
Cinnamon – 1 teaspoon
Nutmeg – A pinch
Cumin – A pinch
Salt – A pinch

Directions

Preheat the oven to 160ºC and grease a rectangular pan with butter and line with non-stick paper.

In a bowl add the sugar and butter and whisk until smooth, then add the eggs one by one, whisking between each addition.

In a separate bowl, mash the bananas to a mush and mix in with the milk.
In a third bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Combine the creamed sugar with the mashed bananas, mix well, then add the flour mixture, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin and honey, mixing all well.

Pour the mixture into the greased and lined tin, chop the hazelnuts and sprinkle them on top of the cake and bake it for around 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes until it’s well cooked, prick it with a toothpick in the center and if it comes out dry the cake is cooked and ready to come out.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before unmolding, enjoy!

Notes: I just used hazelnuts but my initial idea was a fruit mix but… by the time i was making the cake, someone had eaten all my dried fruits, you know who you are! ;D

This recipe for Spiced Banana Bread with Dried Fruits was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Bolo de Banana com Especiarias foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.