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.