Cranberry Apple and Banana Bread
This Cranberry Apple and Banana Bread (sometimes called Cranapana Bread) is a very easy-to-make quick bread that incorporates a few seasonal ingredients into a traditional banana bread.
With all the baking and cooking that goes on this time of the year, an easy recipe is much appreciated. And this is one easy recipe! Use your food processor to lightly chop the fresh cranberries and apples, mix the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients and fold in the cranberries and apples. Tuck it into a bread pan and DONE!
And truthfully, you don’t really need to chop the cranberries if you want to leave them whole. That’s totally up to you. It does result in bread with more bright red berries. And while cranberries are tart, the tartness is completely balanced by the sweeter banana and apple. It is a nice contrast of sweet and tart.
make cranberry apple banana bread mini-loaves for easy giving
One of the great things about any quick bread, including this cranapana quick bread, is that it is easily adaptable to being baked in mini-loaf pans. I use 2 1/2″ by 5 1/2″ mini loaf pans for easy gifts and reduce the baking time to 35-40 minutes.
make-ahead directions
You can mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients the night before, but keep them separate. Make sure they are at room temperature before you combine them and then add the banana, cranberry, and apple. This is a great way to have a fresh loaf of Cranberry Apple and Banana Bread first thing in the morning without having to wake up too early to do all the mixing!
use fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries
This cranapana quick bread recipe makes it very easy to substitute.
- Substitute frozen cranberries, but don’t thaw them before you add them. You may need a few more minutes in the oven…just use your cake tester.
- Substitute 6 ounces of dried cranberries.
storing your cranberry apple banana bread
- Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
- Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for up to three days.
- Once your cranapana bread is at room temperature, wrap it in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil or a freezer ziplock bag. If you use a ziplock bag, make sure that you get out as much air as possible. For the best-tasting bread, don’t store it in the freezer for longer than six months.
Cranberry Apple Banana Bread
This Cranberry Apple and Banana Bread (sometimes called Cranapana Bread) is a very easy-to-make quick bread that incorporates a few seasonal ingredients into a traditional banana bread.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2/ cups whole, fresh cranberries
- 1 apple
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup buttermilk or regular milk
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large banana, mashed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Peel and core apple.
- Chop apples along with cranberries. I've found the easiest way is to toss them both in the bowl of a food processor and pulse them approximately 15 - 20 times.
- Combine dry ingredients and mix well.
- Combine milk, eggs, and oil
- Add milk mixture and mashed banana and mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in the chopped cranberry and apples.
- Grease a 9" by 5" loaf pan or three 2 1/2" by 5 1/2" loaf pans.
- Spoon the batter into the pans
- Bake the large pan for 55-60 minutes or the smaller pans for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted cake tester comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the pans.
- This bread will keep in the fridge for 7 days, assuming it doesn't get gobbled up beforehand!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 230Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 346mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 2gSugar: 22gProtein: 5g
looking for more quick bread recipes?
- This Apple Spice Bread has been a reader favorite for many years.
- For a loaf of more savory bread, try this Herbed Cheese Bread.
Bookmark this page or pin the following image to refer back to this Cranberry Apple and Banana Bread later.
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My second batch is in the oven and they look heavenly. Making and freezing for Thanksgiving neighbor gifts next week! Love your bric-a-brac decor! Hunting that down to package them!
Hi Kathi,
I think your neighbors will be thrilled. I took some to several of my neighbors as well.
Happy Thanksgiving, Lynn