Sunday, January 6, 2019

Royal Banana Bread


As pretty to serve as it is delicious to eat,
Royal Banana bread is fit for a king!

Royal Banana Bread

Bananas are in season during December and January, and sad to say, overripe bananas are all too common. We keep our homes warm, which hastens ripening. Luckily, banana bread is one way to make good use of the overripe fruit.

Bananas can be hard to pair with a spice; there are too many spices that overpower the banana flavor. One product that is tried, true and found to enhance bananas is dark rum. Think Bananas Foster and you have the right idea.

This recipe for banana bread uses red and green candied cherries and your choice of either candied citron or pineapple soaked in dark rum as inclusions. The alcohol bakes out of the bread, but the rum flavor remains. The use of light brown sugar also creates some caramel notes in throughout the bread.

Serve slices plain, with cream cheese or with butter. This bread also freezes very well, so if you have a lot of bananas or loaded up on candied fruit after Christmas, bake several loaves, freeze them and enjoy this delightful bread throughout the year.

Royal Banana Bread
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. banana pulp (approx. 3 very ripe bananas)
1/3 c. melted butter (no substitutes)
1/3 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 c. mixed red and green candied cherries, citron and pineapple
1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. good quality dark rum

Place candied fruit in a small bowl. Pour rum over fruit and cover. Allow to soak at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5 bread pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Place melted butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl, beat together until sugar is well dissolved. Add eggs, and beat on medium speed for one minute.

Add flour mixture slowly, then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Sprinkle and toss candied fruit with 1/4 c. flour. Gently fold fruit and any remaining rum into the batter. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean and the bread begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Allow to cool 10 minutes in the pan on a baking rack, then remove and allow to cool completely for an hour before slicing.