Sweet Strawberry Banana Bread

After my family raved over the Strawberry Banana Muffins that I made a few weeks ago, I wanted to try making strawberry banana bread in my new mini loaf pans. I decided to have a Valentine's Day Party for friends (more about this in my next post), and as a take-home dessert, I gave each guest their own mini loaf of bread. I decided "Sweet Strawberry Banana Bread" is a suitable name for this recipe because it has more sugar and a different texture than regular bread. Essentially, it is very similar to a pound cake, and made very moist by the banana.



I ordered a set of 3 mini loaf pans from Wilton, but since I had to make 16 mini loafs, I picked up a few disposable mini loaf pans to expedite the baking time.  After I bought the disposable pans, I questioned whether it had been worth it to buy the Wilton pans. However, after baking in both types of pan, I realized the metal pans yield bread that is MUCH more evenly baked. The disposable pans require a longer baking time, and since I was afraid I would over bake the bread, I ended up taking the loafs in the disposable pans out of the oven too early. The Wilton metal pans created bread that looked much prettier when popped out of the pans, and it was easier to ensure the breads were thoroughly cooked.

SWEET STRAWBERRY BANANA BREAD
printable recipe
1/2 cup butter
1 banana
2 1/2 cups light brown sugar
5 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup diced strawberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Spray five 5 3/4 by 3 1/4 inch mini loaf pans with baking spray.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, cream butter and banana until smooth.

Add brown sugar and eggs.

Alternate add flour mixture with the buttermilk and stir until just combined.

Fold in diced strawberries.

Pour the batter in prepared mini load pans.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Yields: 5 mini loaves. This recipe can also be used to make two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch regular sized loaves (with a baking time of about 1 hour).

Enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread

This recipe came straight from Ireland when my Great Grandma Bridget Meehan Kersting immigrated to the United States. Not only is Bridget my namesake, but I find her life story inspiring. When she was 17 years old, she left her family's potato farm in Ireland. She lied and said she was 18 in order to board a ship that would take her to New York. The trip was long, and she was sick for most of the journey. When she arrived in the United States, she came through Ellis Island. She had one relative who lived in the United States, but for the most part, she was on her own to navigate her new homeland.

It is a family tradition to make the bread every year for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Years. This was my first time making the bread, and it was very easy. I decided to substitute Craisins for the raisins that the original recipe calls for.



IRISH SODA BREAD
4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. caraway

1 stick butter
2 cups buttermilk (1 pint)
1 cup raisins or Craisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.




Mix all dry ingredients. Cut in softened butter using a fork. Add raisins and buttermilk. Mix until combined, using hands to combine if necessary.

Bake in an 8 or 9 inch pan or in an iron skillet for 45 minutes.