Banana Bread with a Fantastic Twist!!!!

I'm always searching for great banana bread recipes because I always have old--I mean--extra--bananas around.  A while ago I saw a recipe for a Banana-Apple Bread on another blog and have been meaning to make it.  The other day I got around to it and it was amazing.  The apples--which you caramelize--make the bread incredibly moist and delicious.  The combination of spices, caramelized apple chunks, and bananas is just perfect.  This bread is so delicious that Mr. Minivan ate some and immediately asked me to stop baking--he just can't resist eating it. So here--via
Dinner and Dessert, who got it from A Whisk and a Spoon by way of the Sweet Melissa Baking Book, is Banana Apple Bread. Make it today!

BANANA APPLE BREAD

Apples:

2 T unsalted butter
3 T firmly packed brown sugar
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1 t pure vanilla extract

Banana Bread:

2 C all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t kosher salt
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 C orange juice
1 t pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 C mashed very ripe bananas (2-3 bananas) NOTE: I used about 3 1/2 bananas


With your oven rack in the center of your oven, preheat to 350°F. Lightly butter and flour (or use a baking spray) a 1 1/2 quart loaf pan.

Prepare the apples: Preheat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and brown sugar and heat until bubbling. Add the apples and cinnamon and saute til tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

For the banana bread:
In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine the orange juice and vanilla. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar til light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, in three batches, alternating with the orange juice mixture. Mix well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each flour addition. Stir in the mashed bananas until combined. Then stir in the apples.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool IN pan on wire rack for about 20 minutes and then unmold loaf onto wire rack to continue cooling.

Banana Cake

There is this cute little place in L.A. called Clementine's.  They do a huge lunch business and have great salads, sandwiches, and desserts.  The day I brought a piece of banana cake home Boys #1 and 2 practically licked the bakery box it came in--it was THAT good.  So I was very happy to see a recipe in the L.A. Times a couple of weeks ago for Clementine's Banana Cake--along with the secret ingredient that makes this case light and delicious.  It is pastry flour (not cake flour). I made this cake for the brunch we had last weekend and everyone loved it!   Here goes:

CLEMENTINE'S BANANA CAKE

2 2/3 C pastry flour  NOTE:  I used whole wheat pastry flour

2 2/3 C sugar

3/4 t baking powder

1 1/2 t baking soda

1 t kosher salt

3 large or 4 small very ripe bananas

3 eggs

1/2 C buttermilk

3/4 C canola oil

1 1/2 t vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350°F.  Into a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, mash the bananas.  Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until each is completely incorporated, then mix in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.  Finally, mix the dry ingredients into the batter just until thoroughly combined.

Pour into a 9-by-13 inch greased pan.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes (I would check at 30 minutes), until golden-brown on top, a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly touched.  Cool on a rack.  Frost with cream cheese frosting when cool.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 C plus 1 1/2 T cream cheese, at room temperature

5 T butter, room temperature

1/2 C powdered sugar

2 T sour cream

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a medium blow with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and there are no lumps.  Add the butter and whip until incorporated, then add the powdered sugar and the sour cream.  Frost the top of the cooled cake, then slice and serve.