Today, I'm sharing my favorite recipes for both banana bread and carrot cake. Both use tons of real fruit and have texture and amazing flavor. Celebrate winter with soul warming breads baked in your oven.
Banana Bread (recipe by Amanda Kolanda Meadows)
2.5 sticks of butter
10 eggs
15 bananas
4 cups sugar
--
6-2/3 cups of flour
3-3/4 tsp salt
2-1/2 tsp baking soda
1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350° Mash together butter, eggs, bananas, and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients. Mix wet and dry bowls thoroughly. (Add 1/2 c. nuts optionally). Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (makes 5 loaves)
-or- if making only a single loaf of banana bread, cook at same temperature for only 30 minutes after combining in the same way as explained in the above recipe, only use the following amounts of ingredients for a smaller batch:
1/2 stick butter
2 eggs
3 bananas
2/3 c. sugar
--
1-1/3 c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Best Carrot Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot (or carrot shreds)
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside. (or do them as cupcakes in liners)
Begin by stirring together the first 4 dry ingredients (flour, soda, salt, cinnamon).
In another bowl, beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze (see below) evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting (also listed below) between layers and on top and sides of cake.
Buttermilk Glaze
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.
(originally published in Southern Living magazine, OCTOBER 1997 but I was introduced to it by Ashley Howell who baked it for Misty Moore's wedding. It's that good.)
Banana Bread (recipe by Amanda Kolanda Meadows)
2.5 sticks of butter
10 eggs
15 bananas
4 cups sugar
--
6-2/3 cups of flour
3-3/4 tsp salt
2-1/2 tsp baking soda
1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350° Mash together butter, eggs, bananas, and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients. Mix wet and dry bowls thoroughly. (Add 1/2 c. nuts optionally). Bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (makes 5 loaves)
-or- if making only a single loaf of banana bread, cook at same temperature for only 30 minutes after combining in the same way as explained in the above recipe, only use the following amounts of ingredients for a smaller batch:
1/2 stick butter
2 eggs
3 bananas
2/3 c. sugar
--
1-1/3 c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot (or carrot shreds)
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside. (or do them as cupcakes in liners)
Begin by stirring together the first 4 dry ingredients (flour, soda, salt, cinnamon).
In another bowl, beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze (see below) evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting (also listed below) between layers and on top and sides of cake.
Buttermilk Glaze
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.
Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.
(originally published in Southern Living magazine, OCTOBER 1997 but I was introduced to it by Ashley Howell who baked it for Misty Moore's wedding. It's that good.)