Cranberry Banana Bread

A fantastic way to use up fresh Fall cranberries, this Cranberry Banana Bread is fluffy and flavorful!

Oh it’s that time of year, people!

I’m cranberrying (pretend that’s a word) ALL THE THINGS!

Though some may want to fight me on this, the have way more uses than plain ole cranberry sauce.

We love them tossed into salads, swirled into cornbread, and roasted with butternut squash to sweet caramelized perfection!

Up next is this fluffy and fantastic Cranberry Banana Bread!

Cranberry Banana Bread

There’s a deliciously sweet, mild banana flavor in the bread itself with little jewels of cranberries flecked throughout to shake things up with their tangy tartness.

The nuts add fantastic texture to to the bread but if you’re either out of or avoiding nuts entirely, they can 100% be skipped as needed!

When this bread is hot from the oven the cranberries are downright assaulting with their tartness. I’m talking a high-five and a half to the tastebuds here, people! The WOAH-factor mellows as the bread cools. So be sure to give it some time to cool down.

If you find fresh cranberries too tart, you can actually use chopped dried cranberries in this bread.

You can also take a walk on the sweeter side and serve the bread with a sweet vanilla icing on top.

The sticky-sweet glaze mellows the cranberries and gives this cranberry banana bread a total dessert bread vibe. It’s tastes a bit like a breakfast cake when you do this and I have to admit, I’m a fan!

Optional Vanilla Icing

• 2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar)
• 3 or more TBSP heavy cream, as needed, to thin the icing
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Sift confectioners sugar into a medium-large bowl. Add heavy cream, one Tablespoon at a time while mixing to reach desired consistency. Stir in vanilla extract and drizzle over cooled bread.

5 from 3 votes

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Cranberry Banana Bread

A fantastic way to use up fresh Fall cranberries, this Cranberry Banana Bread is fluffy and flavorful!

Course Bread, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Cranberry Banana Bread

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 357 kcal

Author Jenn Laughlin – Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

• 1  cup   sugar
• 5 TBSP unsalted butter softened
• 1  cup mashed ultra-ripe banana*
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2   large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2  cups   all-purpose flour
• 2  tsp  baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1.5 cups coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts walnuts, pecans, and/or pistachios

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set oven rack to center position.

2. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan. For easy bread removal, you can also place a "sling" of parchment paper into the pan horizontally with a bit hanging over the edges to help you lift out the loaf. I love this trick!

3. Mix sugar and butter in a medium mixing bowl until completely blended.

4. Add banana, milk and eggs, mixing well.

5. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until moist. Stir in nuts and cranberries.

6. Spread batter evenly in the loaf pan.

7. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove from pan, cool on rack.

Recipe Notes

* The darker the banana peel, the sweeter the bread! For best results, use super-sweet over-ripe bananas.

Recipe is written for a 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan. Baking time will vary based on size and darkness of loaf pan used, as well as altitude conditions. Adjust as needed.

Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator.

Nutrition Facts

Cranberry Banana Bread

Amount Per Serving

Calories 357 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 40mg13%

Sodium 112mg5%

Potassium 242mg7%

Carbohydrates 56g19%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 22g24%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 213IU4%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 64mg6%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe adapted from Food.com.

Crazy for Cranberries?

We are too! Here are a few more favorites from the P&C recipe archives:

• Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad with Cranberries
• Apple Cranberry Brie Turkey Burgers
• Cranberry Pecan Salmon
• Cranberry Dip