Monday, April 23, 2012

Chai Banana Bread



Awhile back, I got sick of having to toss magazines in the recycling bin and decided to stop receiving magazines that I didn't read.  Pretty much the only one I kept was "Cooking Light."  I make recipes from almost every issue and it has the kinds of stuff we like to eat.  In the most recent issue, there was a recipe for Chai Banana Bread.  I had just received a delicious loaf of banana bread from a friend and it disappeared from our house quickly so I decided to make this version.  The icing with the chai spices is fantastic and the banana bread was moist and had a great crumb.  I used white whole wheat flour (I know, it sounds weird and it is unbleached) which worked well.  I also halved the recipe to make two small loaf pans.

Chai Banana Bread (makes a 9x5 loaf pan)
from Cooking Light, May '12

1.5 c. mashed ripe banana (about 3)
1/3 c. plain nonfat yogurt
5 T butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
1/3 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan (or coat with cooking spray).

Combine the banana, yogurt, melted butter and eggs in a bowl.  Beat with a mixer at medium speed just until blended.  Add sugars; beat at medium until just blended.  Combine flour, soda, salt.  Add form mixture to banana mixture and beat until just blended.  Combine cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and allspice in a small bowl.  Measure 1.5 teaspoons of the spice mixture and add to the batter.  Add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla.  Pour batter into the loaf pan.

Bake for 65 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack.  Remove from pan; cool.

Combine remaining spice mixture, 1/4 tsp. vanilla, powdered sugar and milk.  Drizzle over bread.

4 comments:

  1. Wow, that sounds good. I love cardamon.

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  2. Have you ever indulged in Cook's Illustrated? I tried to give up my subscription but at the last minute, after I'd thrown away about 734 "last chance" notices, they sent me the "we're taking your name out of our database" notice and I just crumbled and renewed for 3 years. LOL. I absolutely love it and know that any recipe from that magazine will work.

    I wonder if you have any suggestions for a drier banana bread/cake recipe. I don't like how moist banana breads are. I'd love to find one that produces a lighter, fluffier texture. Have you ever come across anything like this?

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    Replies
    1. I've bought gift subscriptions for other people and borrowed friends' copies but never subscribed myself. The banana cake on here (9x13 pan w chocolate frosting - don't know how to link on comments) is much drier & fluffier.

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  3. I would make this, but I'm all out of cardamom. And allspice. And powdered sugar, brown sugar, and ginger. I've got some dead ripe bananas, though.

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