Honey Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Have some leftover overripe banana? And getting bored to use it for banana milkshake or fried bananas? Don't throw it away. Making banana bread is one of a great and easy idea to use leftover  overripe banana. ^^ I've been searching for a banana bread recipe and tried some of them but none of them really touch my tongue and my heart. Last week, I found this recipe from cookieandkate.com and tried it with a little bit modification. It was great!! This recipe didn't use any sugar on it and use a whole wheat flour instead of white flour. The taste of honey and nutty flavor from the whole wheat flour really gave difference on the banana bread it self. I like it.

When I made it, I tried to sprinkle some mixture of brown sugar and ground cinnamon on the top of the butter right before I put it into the oven. And I liked the result. The melted brown sugar made the top of the bread become crispy and sweet and it goes really well with the taste of the banana bread itself. Totally love it and definitely going to remake this recipe again next time.

Ingredients :

• 80 ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) honey 
• 178 grams (1 1/2 cup) whole wheat flour
• 32 grams (1/4 cup) All purpose flour
• 2 large eggs 
• 2-3 ( about 225 grams) bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk
• 60 grams brown sugar + 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Preparation :

1. Preheat oven for 170 C.
2. Grease a loaf pan ( I was using 21x7x8 cm loaf pan) with butter. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix together whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
4. In a big bowl, whisk together honey and oil.
5. Add eggs, mashed banana, vanilla extract, and milk into the mixture and beat them all together until well combined.
6. Add all the dry ingredients mixture into wet mixture and stir them together just until they are combined.
7. Pour the batter into greased loaf pan.
8. Sprinkle some mixture of brown sugar and ground cinnamon on the top of the batter (optional)
9. Put the pan into the oven and bake it for 60 minutes (or until tooth pick test comes out clean).
10. Take it out from the oven and let it cool for about 20-30 minutes before slicing.

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Apple Bread

This is one of my  family's favorite quick bread. Apple Bread. First time I made this bread was last January. I was trying to make something good for my daughter's teachers on her birthday. Many other parents will give them chocolate, cupcakes, or ice cream. Well... It was January. It was cold and snowy. Who wants to eat ice cream on winter? Chocolate? hmm... errr... No. Cupcakes? I've already made mini carrot cupcakes for her friends. Then I read on the internet that quick bread could be a proper gift for adults. Good idea. But which quick bread? Banana? Chocolate? Pumpkin? Apple? Yeah. I think Apple bread will be great.

I tried few recipes of apple bread. And I didn't satisfied with the result. One was too tough, the other was too soft, another recipe was too crumbly. After many trial and error, I made my own recipe apple bread using all those failed recipe. Add and reduce the ingredients. It turned out great. The softness of the bread, the taste of combination of apple, cinnamon, walnut and raisins. Orange zest and juice that were unintentionally added to the batter, surprisingly could make the taste of the bread even better. I love it. My daughter and my husband love it. So, it's decided. I made 2 loaves of apple breads, wrap them nicely complete with the ribbon, and let my daughter gave them to her teachers. And they like it !! I was sooooo relieved and happy.

Until now, I've made many of them for my friends and I received none negative response. Today I make another batch of apple bread. I was planning to give it to my friend tomorrow. But too bad there's change of plan. We have to reschedule our appointment. Well.... then my apple bread will become my daughter's afternoon snack. I know she will love it. ^^

Ingredients :

• 195 grams (1.5 cups) AP flour
• 50 grams (1/4 cup ) white granulated sugar
• 50 grams (1/4 cup ) brown sugar 
• 120 ml (1/4 cup ) vegetables oil 
• 110 ml (1/4 cup ) milk
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 - 2 apples, peeled, roughly grated.
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped walnut (optional)
• orange zest from 1 orange (optional)
• 1 tsp orange juice (optional)

Preparation :

1. Preheat the oven for 180 C (356 F)
2. Grease the quick bread pan / loaf pan with butter (I was using 21 x 8 x 7 cm loaf pan). Set aside. 
3. In a big bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon powder.
4. In another bowl, mix together milk, egg, vegetable oil, and orange juice.
5. Pour the all mixed wet ingredients into mixed dry ingredients. Mix them well but do not over mix the batter.
6. Add grated apple, orange zest, raisins, and chopped walnut. Mix again. 
7. Pour the batter into greased pan
8. Put it into preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes.
9. Take the pan out from the oven and let it cool before removing the bread from the pan.

Tip : Do not over mix the batter otherwise the bread will become too tough. That's why for making quick bread, I only using wire whisk and spatula instead of hand mixer. Only to mix the batter until all the ingredients are well mixed. 

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