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Walnut Raisin Banana Bread

Name: Walnut Raisin Banana Bread
Prep time: 20

(13 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

20 min prep

10 servings

Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size

12 ingredients

In my house we prefer our bananas on the green side, but when they get too ripe, it’s always an excuse to make this quick bread. This walnut raisin banana bread recipe makes a...

2 ripe medium bananas
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
½ cup cane sugar (such as Florida Crystals)
1 large egg, beaten
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (see Ann’s Tip)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
⅓ cup roughly chopped walnuts
⅓ cup golden raisins, plumped in hot water

Milk, as needed

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Nutrition Facts

Calories

247 cals

Fat

11 g

Saturated Fat

5 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

3 g

Monounsaturated Fat

2 g

Carbohydrates

38 g

Sugar

16 g

Fiber

4 g

Protein

4 g

Sodium

187 mg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease and flour a small loaf tin or line with parchment paper.
Mash the bananas in a large measuring cup, then beat with a whisk until they are smooth. Add enough milk to bring the mixture to 1½ cups. Mix well. Set aside. Drain the raisins and reserve the water.
Beat the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and creamy. Beat in the egg a little at a time until well combined.
In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together. Stir in the lemon zest. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture a little at a time, folding it in with a spatula until well blended. It will be dry and flaky looking.
Fold in the mashed banana with a spatula until well blended, then fold in the walnuts and raisins. Add a little of the raisin soaking water if the dough seems too stiff -- it should be sticky and soft but not runny.
Tip the batter into the prepared loaf tin, smooth it out and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a cake rack to cool. Serve in thick slices, plain or with butter or cream cheese.

Chef Tips

We call for two bananas here, but I make it with whatever I have on hand, sometimes upping the banana ante up to four. The goal is to end up with the 11/2 cups of banana mash as the recipe asks for. So, the more ripe bananas you have to use, the less milk you will need — and the more banana-licious your bread will be.

If you cannot find whole wheat pastry flour then substitute half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour. Just swapping in whole wheat flour will result in a drier and grittier banana bread.

If you don’t use dairy, substitute 6 tablespoons of melted coconut oil for the butter, and your choice of non-dairy milk for regular milk.

Go easy with sweet things. A little bit of what you like does you good, but don’t eat the whole thing!

Registered Dietitian Approved

Our recipes, articles, videos, and more content are reviewed by our Registered Dietitian Kate Ueland, MS, RD, CSO, a board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition, to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society.