This Ocean Spray recipe got such great reviews I had to try it. They were right! It is a great combination! It is moist and I love the tartness from the cranberries and the strong banana flavor. I’ve repeated it several times and we love it!
I was eager to try it because cranberry bread and banana bread are two favorite loaf breads of mine so I figured it had to be great!
SOME CHANGES to the Ocean Spray recipe I think make it even better: I like adding some chocolate chips for a chocolate lover I know, but that is optional. It is really nice with the chocolate chips! The recipe uses milk. I think using half and half instead of milk makes it a little more rich and moist. But using milk will be yummy too! I just noticed a little difference. I use a 9-inch loaf pan instead of an 8 ½-inch and that works out just fine. I love how it slices nice and clean!
The recipe has just simple ingredients you probably already have.
And maybe if you are like me, there are always cranberries and bananas living in my freezer! I never bother chopping cranberries, I use them whole, frozen. And frozen bananas defrost quickly for 2 minutes in the microwave.
See more pictures how I made it in the slideshow below.
Enjoy!
Cranberry Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup bananas mashed, about 3 small bananas
- ¼ cup half and half or milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup, heaping walnuts coarsely chopped
- 1 ½ cups cranberries
- ½ cup, heaping chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Grease or spray an 8 ½ or 9-inch loaf pan.
- With a mixer on medium speed, cream the sugar and butter together.
- Add in the bananas, half and half (or milk) and eggs, and beat just until combined. Do not overbeat.
- Add in the flour and baking powder. Again, do not overbeat.
- At lowest speed, add in the cranberries, walnuts, and chocolate chips if you are using them. Do just about 3 turns of the paddle. You don’t want to overmix and cause the cranberry color to bleed into the batter.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. (Hint: with a spoon or rubber spatula, make a slight indent down the center of the batter to prevent the top from baking too high.)
- Bake at 350° for 60-65 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. (About half way through, I like to tent the loaf with aluminum foil so it doesn't come out so dark, but that is optional.)
- Cool it in the pan on a wire rack for at least 25 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen it. Invert it onto a plate.
- Store the loaf bread covered at room temperature.