Delicious Cranberry Banana Loaf

Experience this delicious cranberry banana loaf. Easy. Delicious. Tart and sweet. Perfect! The bold burst of the cranberries and sweetness from the banana pairs beautifully as a snack with your afternoon coffee. I just love how versatile banana loaves are – this recipe is an amazing example of the diversity.

What equipment you’ll need to make this loaf

• A stand alone mixer/or a large mixing bowl
• a sharp knife

What’s in this cranberry banana bread?

• Baking powder and baking soda – the duo that is always needed to help the loaf rise. I used 1 tablespoon of baking powder which helped the loaf rise perfectly and not cave in with the extra slices of pears on top
• Coconut sugar or regular sugar – you can sub this in for coconut sugar if you want to go refined sugar free
• Plant based Milk and oil – needed to add some moisture to the cake. Both at room temperature. I prefer my oil to be fully melted though
• Cranberry – ideally pick ones that are firm and in season. Use a sharp knife to cut them in half if you wish but I just keep them whole and throw them in.
• Flour – I used all purpose flour but you could sub in 1:1 bobs red mills gluten free flour
• Beetroot crystals – this is a wonderful and healthy way to color up your icing for the loaf.

Why cranberries?

We usually have extra cranberries hanging around and this is a perfect way to use them! You can find them around December time frozen and fresh!

Cranberries, because of their tart and sourness, are rarely eaten raw. They’re PERFECT for baking though!

Cranberry health benefits

Cranberries are related to berries like blueberries! Unfortunately when you drink cranberry juice, you lose many of the benefits found only in the skin.

They have tons of health benefits like:

• Vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K1 and manganese.
• cranberries have antioxidant properties as well like quercetin, ursolic acid and peonidin.

Here’s a website discussing more health benefits!

How do you make this recipe

After you’ve gathered all your ingredients, place all your wet ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Add in your bananas and mix well. I use a fork or a whisking tool to the bananas. Add in your sugar and mix well until it looks light and creamy.

Add in your dry ingredients and finish with your flour. Fold in half of it and mix and then fold in the rest. You don’t want to overmix but you want it to mixed until all the ingredients are incorporated well.

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pans! If you don’t have the mini ones then use a big loaf pan! I usually spray the pan with baking spray for a bit of extra crispness on the sides. You could also line your pans with parchment paper and keep it in place with those thicker plastic clips used to hold thick pieces of paper.

How to make a flax egg

Flax eggs are an essential to vegan baking – they mimic eggs perfectly and are so simple to make. This recipe called for 2 flax eggs.

For each flax egg:

• 1 tbsp of flax meal or chia seeds
• 2.5 tbsp water

Stir that together and let it sit for a couple minutes until it sets then stir it into the mixture.

The frosting

The frosting is super easy to whip together. All you need is:

• Coconut whip/coconut cream
• Icing sugar
• Blood orange juice
• Beetroot crystals

If you don’t have coconut whip (I get mine from the freezer section in health food store) you could coconut cream, which is just the top part of a coconut cream can. The beetroot crystals are just to make the icing pink but if you don’t have that you could leave it out or use freeze dried strawberry or raspberry powder. I don’t have red food coloring but that could be an option for you too.

Can you replace the cranberries with another fruit?

Absolutely! I’ve paired it with everything. This is such a versatile recipe and pairs with just about anything. I’ve tried:

• Peaches
• blueberries
• raspberries
• cherries
• pears

You’re done your masterpiece!

You’re done your beautiful recipe! Spare no time and eat it warm! Put your favourite vegan butter on top!

Freezing and storing your extras

You may just be lucky enough to have extras at the end of your day! If you do, just place it sliced or unsliced in an air tight container or ziploc bag. Keep it on the countertop for a day or two (max, as there is fresh fruits and you don’t want them to get moldy!) and in the fridge for up to 5 days. You may place it in the freezer if needed. I would keep it in a seal proof container for up to 3 months.

Can you turn this loaf into muffins instead?

Yes! You can make muffins instead of a loaf. I would fill in my muffin tray and bake in the oven at 350F for about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. This can be a perfect snack idea for when your kids (or you!) go to school or work.

You could add some protein powder to make it packed with protein as well. A tablespoon of protein powder shouldn’t make or break the recipe.

This cake was just heaven. Hope you try it!

Inspired to make more like this? Try these:

• Easy and Moist Apple Cinnamon Banana Bread Recipe
• Delicious Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread
• Easy Spiced Pear and Banana Bread

As always, if I’ve inspired you to make this loaf or any other recipes please do take the time to write a comment below or send me a message or photo @sculptedkitchen.com

Thanks so much! I really appreciate you!

Other banana baked goods to try

Easy and Moist Apple Cinnamon Banana Bread Recipe

Delicious Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread