BANANA BREAD WITH STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

This is the first time that I have ever made bread, never mind if it’s banana bread and not the one with yeast (the tricky ones). The yeast ones will have to wait for now coz as of now I am happily contented with the result of this banana bread. It turned out soft and deliciously flavourful. Thanks to such successes, I fall in love with baking all over again ;-) Another reason why I love baking are the aromas that fill the house…warm and comforting. Heavenly!

I had been avoiding baking this bread because of the cinnamon and nutmeg in it. No, no no…I love cinnamon in anything – desserts, snacks, cake, ice-cream…you name it! Unfortunately, not my husband and daughter; they passionately hate it!!! Can you believe that! Someone hating cinnamon is unthinkable to me? Anyways, to each his own… But I this time around I couldn’t resist the temptation. Hubby is travelling, so it was golden opportunity and I grabbed it with both handsJ I am so glad I made this bread!

Since baking it and between writing this post, I have polished off four slices already with the compoteJ and I am still trying hard to hold myself back…ha ha. The compote was like cherry on the cake. Although the bread is more of a snack but the addition of compote transforms this simple humble bread in to a very gratifying dessert.

Here’s what goes into it,

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup caster sugar

125 g butter

3 eggs

3 large ripe bananas

2 cups self-raising flour, scant (I used I cup plain flour & 1 cup wheat flour and added 1¼ tsp baking powder)

½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract (I used vanilla essence)

For the Compote

½ cup brown sugar

Juice of 2 oranges

Grated rind of 1 orange (I chopped it roughly and the taste and texture was great)

1 cinnamon stick

2 ½ cup strawberries, thickly sliced

To serve

Mascarpone or plain yoghurt

Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius or 350 degree Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of a 9 X 4 ¼ inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

Beat the sugars and butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg, one at a time and mix in vanilla extract.

Coarsely mash the bananas and add to the butter mixture. Gently mix it in.

Add flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and stir them till just combined

Pour the mixture in the pan prepared pan and bake till 1 hour to 1¼ hour. (Mine took just over an hour)

Bake until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes and then remove from the pan.

For compote:

In a pan, add all the ingredients except the strawberries and cook on a medium heat and bring to a boil.

Add the strawberries and return to boil.

Remove from the heat and pour in a clean bowl.

To Serve

Slice the banana bread and spoon over the compote and serve with mascarpone or plain yoghurt. Dust with sifted confectioner’s sugar

Adapted from 'Party' Cookbook.


Post linked to Banana Recipes event hosted by Dr Sameena Prathap


Post linked to Midweek Fiesta - 12 hosted by Amy of Foods Sri Lanka


Post linked to Katherine's Blog Hop on Strawberries