Banana-Blueberry Buttermilk Bread
The slight acidity of buttermilk tenderizes and moistens baked goods while allowing you to cut way back on butter or oils. Here, it also lends a slight tanginess to the winning combination of bananas and blueberries. To make muffins instead, see Muffin Variation.
From EatingWell: July/August 2010
Yield: Makes 10 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes (including 2 hours cooling time)
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup nonfat or low-fat buttermilk
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
- 11/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 11/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 11/4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
- Whisk buttermilk, brown sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in mashed bananas.
- Whisk whole-wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- Bake until the top is golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Let cool for about 2 hours before slicing.
- Make Ahead Tip: Wrap and store at room temperatre for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Ingredient note: Whole-wheat pastry flour, lower in protein than regular whole-wheat flour, has less gluten-forming potential, making it a better choice for tender baked goods. You can find it in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets and natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.
- Muffin Variation: Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 (1/2 cup) muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners. Divide the batter among the muffin cups (they will be full). Bake until the tops are golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes more before serving.
Nutrition Per serving:
278 calories; 7 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 43 mg cholesterol; 49 g carbohydrates; 16 g added sugars; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 298 mg sodium; 195 mg potassium.
3 Carbohydrate Servings Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 carbohydrate (other), 1 fat