Bananas Fosters Bread

Apparently, I haven't been eating my bananas fast enough. But, that's ok because this month's issue of Cooking Light has several recipes for banana bread. It must be fate. I always remember my dad making bananas foster as an ice cream topping for special occasions, so I was immediately drawn to the Bananas Foster Bread. The bread didn't retain the true bananas foster taste, but it's definitely a nice way to use ultra-ripe bananas in a slightly different way.


Bananas Foster Bread (Cooking Light, October 2010)

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
1 cup packed brown sugar, divided
6 Tbs. butter, melted and divided
1/4 cup cognac or dark rum, divided
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
2 large eggs
6.75 oz all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
cooking spray
1/3 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine banana, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 5 Tbs. butter, and 3 Tbs. cognac in a nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat; cool. Place banana mixture in a large bowl. Add yogurt, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, and eggs. Beat with a mixer at medium speed.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; place on wire rack.
4. Combine remaining 1 Tbs. melted butter, remaining 1 Tbs. cognac, and powdered sugar; stir until well blended. Drizzle over warm bread.