Of course if banana bread is good, then I had to tinker with it, and made Rhubarb Banana Bread. 😁
Then of course, when zucchini comes into season, and sometimes one ends up with a gigantic zucchini (my Dad was always so proud of his huge zucchini!), what can we do with it? Zucchini Bread, of course. I am not at all wild about zucchini, but it makes great Zucchini Bread, and then, as previously stated, I have to tinker. I just can never leave well enough alone. I guess ultimately that is a good thing, as it gives me the curiosity and ideas for new recipes. But thus was born Zucchini Tea Bread.
All these are old recipes of mine, and aside from Banana Bread, I haven't made them in some time. So, I am revisiting these recipes, here.
Banana Bread
Banana Bread
Simple and delicious!
Makes one 4 x 8-inch loaf
¼ cup shortening
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
*¼ cup sweet milk + ¾ teaspoon baking powder OR
*¼ cup sour milk/buttermilk + ¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup nuts, ground
Cream together the shortening and brown sugar, then add in the eggs, beating well after each addition. Add in the bananas and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder or baking soda (depending on which kind of milk used) and salt. Add in half the dry mixture, blending till combined, then the milk, and the rest of the flour. Add in the nuts and combine.
Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow it to rest 10 minutes before turning out of pan.
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Rhubarb Banana Bread
Makes three (9 x 5-inch) loaves
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| Rhubarb Banana Bread |
3 cups light brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups sour cream
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon pistachio flavor (or use all vanilla)
2 over ripe bananas, mashed lightly
5½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ of a whole nutmeg, grated
2 cups rhubarb, thinly sliced
1 cup shelled pistachios, or other nuts of choice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or 325 on Convection). Lightly grease or spray with cooking spray three (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans. Set aside.
In a mixer bowl beat together the brown sugar and melted butter. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, flavoring(s) and bananas; add to the mixer bowl and beat to combine. In another bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Add these ingredients to the mixer on very low speed to just moisten, then increase speed to just combine. Add in the rhubarb and nuts and mix to combine.
Divide batter evenly between the three prepared pans. Batter will be quite thick. Spread evenly in pans, and then bake for 55 to 60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out fairly clean. Allow the loaves to rest in the pans for at least 10 minutes before removing from pans. If they stick, run a knife around the edges of the pans. Cool completely on racks.
NOTES: These loaves, as with most fruit and nut loaves, freeze well. Once cooled completely, wrap in foil or place into zip top bags to freeze.
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Zucchini Bread
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| Zucchini Bread |
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
3 - 3½ cups all-purpose four
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup raisins
½ - ¾ cup chopped nuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat together the eggs, sugars, oil, vanilla and zucchini. Sift or whisk together the cinnamon, salt, flour and baking powder. Stir into the zucchini mixture. Stir in the raisins and nuts.
Grease two loaf pans and divide batter between the pans. Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
NOTES: I substituted melted butter for the oil one of the times I made this, and another time I used melted coconut oil. All of these come out great! The amounts for the raisins and nuts is fluid - you decide how much to use, or IF to use. My mother-in-law left that optional in her recipes, writing in only "Raisins" and/or "Nuts". I added in the amounts here that I used, as a guideline.
GLUTEN FREE: This recipe, as well as most dessert loaf recipes I have tried, can easily be made Gluten-Free! Substitute your preferred gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, and add in 1 - 2 teaspoons of xanthan gum to the rest of the dry ingredients.
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| Zucchini Tea Bread |
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Zucchini Tea Bread
Makes 2 larger loaves or 3 smaller; 5 x 9-inch pans
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 eggs
2 cups grated fresh zucchini
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
½ teaspoon lemon oil (such as Boyajian brand) or grated lemon zest, to taste
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Matcha Green Tea Powder, optional
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup raw, shelled hemp seeds, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two or three loaf pans with cooking spray, then line them with parchment. Do not omit this step, as these loaves will stick to the pans. Set aside
Place the melted butter and sugars in a mixer bowl and beat to combine. Add in the sour cream and eggs and beat well. Add the zucchini, ginger and lemon oil or zest (extract could also be used) and beat. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, green tea powder, baking powder and salt, then add in to the wet ingredients on low speed to moisten, then on medium to combine completely. Add the nuts and hemp seeds, if using and mix well.
Divide the batter between the pans evenly and bake for 50 minutes for three pans, an hour or more for two pans, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to rest in pans for 8 to 10 minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
NOTES: I was given a few yellow squash by a friend, and used one to make this same bread. I left out the green tea powder completely and used the grated zest of a whole lemon, instead of the lemon oil. The result was just fantastic - similar, but just that little bit different. Since yellow squash are as available as the zucchini, this is just another way to use them, when they are in abundance.
My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.
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