Banana Bread Man's Banana Bread

By Hklbrries

This bread is inspired by the "Banana Man," who used to sell his bread off the back of his bicycle in Key West, Florida.

Testers Note: I substituted 2/3 cup already chopped dates and 2/3 cup mixed dried cherries and golden raisins for the whole dates, cherries and papaya.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup pecans
• 1/3 cup cashews
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup amber or dark rum
• 2 cups mashed ripe bananas (4 to 5 medium bananas)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk, plain yogurt or sour cream
• 2 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup pitted dates, chopped (see tester's note)
• 1/2 cup dried cherries (see tester's note)
• 1/2 cup diced dried papayas (see tester's note)

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

Toast the pecans and then the cashews in a dry skillet, stirring frequently until they begin to darken and turn fragrant. Immediately transfer to a small bowl; let cool, then chop coarsely. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour an 8 1/2-inch-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean; add the seeds to the bowl (or add the vanilla extract). Add the rum, bananas, cinnamon, mace and cloves; beat until blended. (The batter may look as if it is separating; this is normal).

Alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beating until fully incorporated. Fold in the chocolate, nuts, dates, cherries and papaya.

Spoon the batter into the pan; bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 300 F and bake for 70 minutes until the bread pulls away slightly from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted comes away clean.

Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert the loaf onto a rack, remove the pan, then turn the loaf right side up to cool completely.

Slice and serve, plain or toasted and topped with ice cream.