Hum dum de dum, hum de dum dum
I’m so rumbly in my tumbly
Time to munch an early luncheon
Time for something sweet -Winnie the Pooh
There is nothing like banana bread for a kid with a rumbly tummy and an urge for something sweet. That’s important, because we all know it’s harder for kids to learn when they are distracted by hunger. We think this is the absolute best banana bread you can make. It has all the healthy stuff: whole grain wheat and oat flour, farm fresh eggs, bananas, nuts and apple butter for that touch of something sweet. No white flour. No white sugar. And to keep things easy, no tricky yeast! Best of all, it makes lots of little loaves instead of one big one. Perfect for bake sales, sharing and after school snacks. But also perfect for an early luncheon at the kitchen table with a cup of frothy coffee! We are baking it in bulk for our Flour Baskets and Bake Sale this week, whipping up a few batches with our young friends at the neighborhood drop in center for homeless youth, and trying to save a few loaves for the after school snack plates of our kids at home too. Each loaf reminds us of one of the many kids we care about, and our desire to keep them healthy, happy and full of good things to eat. We hope the kids in your life love it too!
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Penzy's baking spice (or ½ tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp nutmeg)
- 1 cup King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 cup King Arthur Oat Flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup apple butter (we make our own, check back this fall for the recipe!)
- 2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 4 bananas-make sure they are really ripe!)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- oatmeal for topping
- Preheat oven to 350 and lightly spray mini loaf pans with baking spray.
- Combine soda, salt, spices and flours in a small bowl and whisk to blend.
- Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Beat in eggs one at a time until incorporated.
- Mix in vanilla and apple butter.
- Gently mix in the dry ingredients.
- Remove from mixer and stir in mashed bananas,and walnuts. If your bananas were not ripe enough and the batter seems dry, you can add a splash of buttermilk or greek yogurt.
- Our into prepared loaf pans and sprinkle with oatmeal.
- Bake about 30 minutes until just firm to the touch in the center.
- Cool on a rack before removing from pans.