Banana cranberry bread

I’m sitting under a blanket. I’m quite cold even though the weather is extremely mild. 13°C in December is unusual even for Ireland. From time to time I try to convince a cat, that he shouldn’t be on the table. After a few months of training most of the times it’s enough if I clap my hands or raise my voice, although I still need to do it every 10 minutes, but you know baby steps. He is just bored as his brother is sleeping on the radiator.

I’m still in a baking mood. I bake so much more than I should. I will exercise as soon as I finish this post, I promise, but it’s not my fault that those banana were screaming “make a banana bread”. I gave it Christmasy twist adding spices and cranberries. I love the addition of cranberries, as it gives this tangy something and it looks pretty.

Banana cranberry bread

Recipe adapted from Nigel Slater recipe

For 20cm x 12cm loaf tin

• 75g walnuts or hazelnuts
• 175g unsalted butter, softened
• 175g light muscovado sugar
• 2 eggs
• 170g plain flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• pinch of ground cloves
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup of fresh cranberries

Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan.

Grease a tin and dust it with rice flour or semolina.

Toast walnuts/hazelnuts in the oven. Once they cool down a little try to remove their skins.

Grind them quite finely. Set aside.

Beat the butter with sugar until light and fluffy.

Add one egg at a time and mix until fully incorporate before adding the next egg.

Mix in ground walnuts/hazelnuts, flour, baking powder and spices.

Add in mashed bananas and mix until well incorporated.

Fold in cranberries.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin.

Bake for 60-70 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.