The batter is ready for baking (hey, what's that small piece of brown parchment paper in the upper left corner doing there?)Moist and tender banana bread with small chunks of caramelized apple, with just the right amount of warm spices. Check out Joy's always-fun-to-read blog for the recipe (click here to go straight to it).
That piece of parchment was supposed to go inside these pans. Doh! (did I go through this all this trouble just so I can eat the bread straight out of the pan?)
Please, please release from the pan in one piece when I turn you over. Yay!!Although I'm very pressed for time, after having turned in 14 baked items at the State Fair this morning and only sleeping 6.5 hours on Saturday, I just couldn't sit this week's SMS challenge out and disappoint Joy. She raved about this bread so I had to make it. Thanks for picking such a great recipe, Joy!! It's definitely a keeper.
Yum! Excellent banana goodness emerged!- Hubby hasn't tried it yet so will try to update this post in the next couple days with his input. I liked the bread a lot. My only critique would be that it's a tad too sweet for me. I'm thinking it's from the sugar in the bread + the sugar added to the apples. Next time, I'll cut the sugar a bit.
- I cut the recipe in half (which was easy to do) and baked the batter in two mini-loaf pans. Baked these for about 38-40 minutes. One loaf is for taste testing and the other I wrapped in plastic wrap and foil and froze.
- My changes: doubled the amount of cinnamon, used half white sugar and half brown sugar to better match the caramel flavor in the apples, and used 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice.
- Used Joy's tip on cubing half the apple amount and grating the other half. That was an excellent tip. I highly recommend it.
- Don't forget to check out the other SMS bakers.
Hope the fair went well, great loaves.
ReplyDeleteHope you did well at the fair!
ReplyDeleteThese looked great!
<3
Hello my dear!
ReplyDeleteI hope you're cozy sleeping in your bed as I write this- I can only imagine the extent of your exhaustion after your heroic baking efforts for the fair. I CANNOT WAIT to find an email in my inbox detailing the results- I have no doubt you did amazingly well but I want to hear all about it... AFTER you're well rested of course! Will you please put your feet up today?
THANK YOU SO MUCH for baking along with me this week, ESPECIALLY considering you had just finished a crazy baking marathon. I have to say, it just wouldn't have been the same without you, so I'm elated that you found the strength to make just one more goodie! And I'm even more glad to hear that you enjoyed it- whew, that would have been a bummer if you hated it after all my raving. Hahaha! Your mini loaves look adorably delectable- and thank you for including the bake time too! I just got through reading a post where they did the same thing but didn't disclose the timing. As someone who gets nervous adapting recipes to a different pan size for fear of over or under baking- I really appreciate that you included that detail. But I'd expect nothing less from my Hanaâ! Hey did you notice your shout-out in my post? I loved that site you found about hastening the ripening process of bananas, and I had to share- hope you don't mind!
Thanks again for being such a wonderful friend- not many people would push through the fatigue to bake a 15th item- you're the best! Looking forward to talking soon :) Hope you have a great start to your week today!
<3,
Joy
14 items for the fair plus banana bread? You are a trooper!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a baking marathon! What did you make for the fair?
ReplyDeleteYour banana bread looks perfect!
your bread looks amazing!!
ReplyDeleteWhew 14 entries into the fair? no wonder you're so tired!! but i bet you're glad you made this bread! :)
grab a nice thick slice of this bread, some milk or tea and watch your favorite sappy film, enjoy!
I will definitely try that with my apples next time. My huge chunks kind of made for a lumpy loaf!
ReplyDeleteSixteen items in the state fair. That's a lot of baking :)
You are a baking machine! I had one corner to partially stick to my loaf pan. That was the first piece I ate. Lol
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you found time to squeeze this in and that you liked it! I actually considered sprinkling even more sugar on top of the loaves before they cooked!
ReplyDeleteHope all your entries do well, please keep us posted! I like the idea of shredding the apples, will try that next time. Your bread looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I can't wait to see what you made for the fair! I hope you come home with a blue ribbon or two (or fourteen). Your little loaves look great, glad you were able to squeeze them in to the baking schedule.
ReplyDeleteHanaa I liked the banana bread; I especially liked the surprising chunks of the caramelized apple. As for sweetness, I found it totally expected, provided it's a banana caramelized apple bread, I didn't mind:)
ReplyDeleteyou deserve a salute for your hard work and dedication. Proud to have you as a friend.
Good luck with your State Fair entries..
Your friend Wafae
14 bakes..???!!!?!?!?! You're incredile!! I have difficulty just keeping up with weekly + monthly bakealong deadlines.. seriously, you're my new hero!
ReplyDeleteYour loves look gorgeous and I WISH I'd made 2 mini loaves, I've still got a whole loaf waiting (which, despite my earlier hopes, won't really fit in the freezer if I'm honest) and I just finished stuffing myself on the 2 giant cupcakes I also got out of this one.. i feel sick xxx
How did you do at the fair? Your bread looks very good! I enjoyed this recipe too!
ReplyDeleteHope the fair went well :)
ReplyDeleteYour bread looks so cute! I love the grated apple idea! Will deffo try that next time.
Katie xox