For most folks this Holiday season, regular banana bread is perfect just the way it is. But that doesn't mean it shouldn't be adjusted to fall more in line with the occasion. This recipe for Festive banana bread will make it more fitting for the Holidays if anyone wants to go all out.

This banana bread variation of mines is pretty much spiked, spicy, and fruity like a Christmas fruit cake. As such, it incorporates seasonal ingredients like mixed fruit, allspice, and rum. It's also pretty moist given it some milk and an extra egg for each loaf. This recipe will produce two loaves in 9x5-inch pans.

As for storage, they can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerate for up to five days.

The recipe

Ingredients:

  • Unsalted butter for greasing the loaf pans
  • 4 cups (480 g) self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp allspice
  • 6 ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1cup (200 g) brown sugar
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) rum
  • 1/2 cup (75 g) walnuts, chopped
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) raisins
  • 1/2 cup (115) candied fruit
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

  1. Preheat an oven to 190°C. Grease a couple of 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.
  2. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and allspice together in a bowl. Set aside
  3. Cream the butter and the sugars together using an electric mixer running on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated.
  4. Mash the bananas in a bowl with a potato masher or a fork until all is mushy. Stir in the milk, rum, nuts, and all of the dried fruit using a wooden spoon.
  5. Combine both wet mixtures and stir together with the wooden spoon. Do not overmix.
  6. Add the dry mixture in batches, stirring each addition up until they become wet. Do not over mix.
  7. Divide the batter evenly among the loaf pans and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Turn off the oven and leave the loaves to cool inside for 10 minutes before removing them.
  8. Flip the loaf pans over a wire rack to remove the loaves. Place them on flat plates and dust the surfaces with powdered sugar. Cut the loaves and serve. Can be sealed, refrigerated and will last for up to 5 days.

Serves: 2 loaves (16 slices)

Xmas banana bread variations

  • Cherries - Substitute half of a cup maraschino cherries for the candied fruit and raisins.
  • Blueberries - Substitute half of a cup of blueberries for the candied fruit and raisins.
  • Brandy - Substitute equal amounts of brandy for the rum.
  • Cinnamon and cardamon - Substitute one teaspoon of cinnamon and one teaspoon of cardamon for the allspice.
  • Chocolate - Substitute chocolate chips for either the candied fruit or raisins.
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