Western Cooks: Cranberry Orange Banana Bread

By: Kristina Rivera Banana bread is my favorite comfort food. The ingredients are simple and you can mix everything in one bowl for minimal dish pile up. It’s also the perfect way to use any overly ripened bananas. Why not dress it up? This banana bread recipe is a fall twist on your average loaf. The simple additions of orange and cranberry taste like you put in more effort than you actually did. I got the recipe from the blog Gimme Some Oven and it did not disappoint. My favorite aspect was the orange glaze. It perfectly complemented the tartness of the dried cranberries. Plus, it will leave your house smelling like a dessert shop — and who wouldn’t want that?   Banana Bread ingredients: 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/3 cup orange juice 2 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (this is roughly 3 medium-sized bananas) 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup dried cranberries Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons Florida’s Natural Orange Juice zest of half an orange Banana bread:

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x5-inch baking pan with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Mash your bananas.
3. Whisk together oil, maple syrup, orange juice, eggs and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Whisk in bananas and mix until combined. (Don’t worry if there are lumps due to the bananas. Trust me, it’s delicious)
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Pour dry ingredients into the banana mixture. Stir until evenly combined. Be careful not to overmix your batter. This creates too much gluten that will make your banana bread tough and chewy (not delicious). Gently fold in your dried cranberries until evenly mixed.
5. Pour your batter into your prepared dish. Flatten the batter with a spoon or spatula to make it nice and smooth at the top.
6. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until you insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean. (Place aluminum foil on top of the bread if it gets too brown and the inside is still undercooked)
7. Stare into oven for 50 to 60 minutes.
8. Once it’s done baking, remove the bread from the oven. Practice self-control for at least 15 minutes while the banana bread cools. This is also the perfect time to make your orange glaze.

1. Whisk powdered sugar, orange juice and orange zest in a bowl until combined. For a thinner glaze, add more orange juice. For a thicker glaze, add more powdered sugar.
2. Pour glaze onto cooled banana bread.
3. Admire your creation, slice and enjoy.