Some friends were out of town and asked if I could go and make use of their raspberry bushes. I am so thankful because I am inclined to think that after our strawberry craze over the last few weeks, we were growing tired of the fair berry. (Is that even possible?) Raspberries seemed just the antidote.
After the kids had their fill (shoving fistfuls of these juicy berries into their mouths), freezing some and having a few leftover, I decided to put those few gems into my favourite banana bread from Epicurious.com.
I have to agree with my friend who seemed to quite be taken with it. The banana and berry combo was quite nice indeed!
This low-fat bread freezes incredibly well if it is well-wrapped. Additional batter can be put into muffin tins, but make sure not to over-bake.
2 eggs
3/4 cup cane sugar
2 bananas, frozen or browning, and mashed
1/3 cup soured milk (add a teaspoon or two of vinegar to the mix)
1 tbsp vegetable oil (sunflower, grapeseed, etc.)
1 tbsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup unbleached flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh or defrosted raspberries tossed with 1 tbsp flour
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour loaf tins (4 small, about 6" long, or 2 regular-sized pans).
2. Beat eggs and sugar together on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add mashed bananas, soured milk, oil and vanilla.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour into wet ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in berries.
4. Bake time depends on size of pan, but as a rule, most pans require 45 minutes (small) to an hour (regular). Tops should be golden brown and test with toothpick at 5 minute intervals after 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool pans on wire rack for 5 minutes before removing from pan.
