Banana Spice Loaf

This is a great recipe to make as summer turns into autumn…a sweet, moist banana bread spiced with nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. And it’s topped not only with a glaze, but a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar and walnuts, too. So treat yourself to this banana bread?enjoy it with cider or cinnamon-flavored coffee at breakfast or brunch, or as a snack. It’s a yummy way to celebrate the arrival of autumn! This recipe makes one 8 1/2 x 4 1/2″ loaf.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup ripe, mashed bananas ( about 2 medium)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Grease and flour an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2″ loaf pan. Mash bananas in a small bowl and set aside. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. In medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Add this mixture to the egg/butter mixture and mix well. Then add the sour cream, mashed bananas, and vanilla, and stir just enough to blend (don’t overmix!).

Put batter into your greased and floured loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45-48 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing; then remove from pan and cool completely. While loaf is cooling, make your glaze and cinnamon sugar (or you can purchase cinnamon sugar in the spice section of your grocery store).

GLAZE INGREDIENTS:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons half & half

In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and half & half together until smooth and well-blended.

CINNAMON SUGAR:

1/3 cup sugar (granulated sugar)
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

In small container with lid, blend sugar and cinnamon together. You’ll have a lot left over, so you can store the unused cinnamon sugar in your container for future use.

WALNUTS FOR GARNISH:

You’ll also need 1/3-1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts to top off the glaze.

When loaf is completely cool, spoon the glaze over the top, letting it run down the sides. Immediately sprinkle with 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon cinnamon sugar and then sprinkle on the coarsely- chopped walnuts last. Let glaze set before slicing.

Linked to Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, What’s Cooking Wednesday, Fabulous Friday, Favorite Things Saturday, Sunday Showcase, Sundae Scoop, Just Something I Whipped Up.

Filed under: Autumn, Breakfast/Brunch, Food and Recipes, Seasonal, Sweet Breads Tagged: Allspice, baking, Banana bread, breakfast, brunch, Butter, cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, recipe, Sugar