A classic go-to banana bread recipe. 

With a twist.

I love cinnamon raisin breads, so I decided to add cinnamon and raisins to this banana bread recipe… along with a crusty cinnamon sugar topping. 

This banana bread will make you smile.

I recently made this bread for a friend’s family. 

Then, I made it again for my family when I was headed home for a visit. 

Later that week, I received a text with a  picture of my family enjoying a few slices of this bread.  When you eat something that has been made by another, you think of them.

I think that is why I love to bake for others.  Because they can enjoy it well after you leave. 

When I give goods to family and friends, it is giving them a little love.  To show you are thinking of them.  Then, when they eat it, they think of you as well.  

This is what is at the heart of baking.

And this is what keeps me going back into the kitchen.

cinnamon raisin banana bread with walnuts

• 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 ¼ cups walnuts, toasted and chopped
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed well  (about 1 ½ cups)
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 1 ½ cup raisins
• topping: 2-3 tbsp. butter mashed with a few tablespoons of brown sugar & white sugar, and a few pinches of cinnamon.

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan

- Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 5-10 minutes.

- Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and add in walnuts and raisins. set aside.

- Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, vanilla, eggs, butter and vanilla. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter is thick and chunky. Scrape batter into loaf pan. If you have batter left over, pour into another smaller loaf pan or muffin tins.

- Optional topping: in a small bowl, mash together the butter with the sugars and cinnamon and scatter it across the top of the batter in the pan. I usually eyeball the amount of sugary topping, so use as much or as little as you desire.

- Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean. This will be about 45-55 minutes. Cool in pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

- You can wrap the bread in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for a week, or at room temperature for up to 3 days. It also freezes well.

 aaaaaaand, my cinnamon raisin obsession continues.