Vegan Walnut & Cranberry Banana Bread

Does anyone else get cravings that only happen during a certain season of the year? There is something about a cold fall day on the cusp of winter that makes me crave something fresh from the oven. While straight banana bread would have done the trick, adding cranberries and walnuts made it extra satisfying!

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 40-50 min

Total Time: 55-65 min

Yields: 1 9-inch loaf (or 3 mini loaves)

Ingredients

1 cup flour

¾ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

3 ripe bananas

⅓ cup apple juice

3 tablespoons oil (I used extra virgin olive oil, but you can use canola, almond, coconut or another that you prefer)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup cranberries (if using dried, pour boiling water over them and let soak 10-15 min to re-hydrate)

½ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a 9-inch loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans, like I did.

2. In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well.

3. In a separate small bowl, mash the bananas very well so that there are no large chunks. Add the apple juice, oil and vanilla extract. Mix well.

4. Next, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients slowly and consistently while stirring until just mixed. Then fold in the cranberries and walnuts, being careful not to over-mix the batter.

5. Pour the batter into the pan(s). Bake for about 50 minutes (bake only about 40 minutes if you’re using multiple mini pans), or until a toothpick can be inserted into the center and come out clean. Allow to cool before serving.

Optional: Once baked, take out of the oven and spread some vegan butter over the top of the loaf(/loaves) as a finishing touch. This adds a glistening look over the top and keeps the loaf extra moist.