There is no better way to celebrate fall’s arrival than with a loaf of Pumpkin Roasted-Banana Quick Bread. Full of homey flavors of pumpkin, banana, dried cranberries or nuts and fall spices, it’s quick to make and irresistible. Gluten-free or with gluten options. Can be frozen too!
Winter squash has just begun to show up at Farmer’s Markets. A few years ago I had no idea what to do with them. I never really ate them when I was growing up and as an adult struggled with the dense, earthy sweetness of flavor, often coupled with further sweetening ingredients like brown sugar.
Everything took a turn for me when I naively realized you can roast them to make your own puree, great for so many dishes. I’m not sure why I did not connect the stuff in the can with the actual squash and in the case of pumpkin I equated the whole squash with carving for Halloween only.
As the weather cools even momentarily, I pull out an imaginary t-shirt with the slogan ‘Born to Bake’. Years ago I had a friend studying hibernating properties in humans for a PhD who told me the angle of the sun coaxes humans into a more sedentary burrowing/nesting behavior in the cooler months. I definitely think that is true for me. I’m dying to cook and it makes me feel much more grounded, versus the summer when I can’t stand to be indoors or sit still for long.
I picked up a pumpkin this week at a local farm stand, and just needed to decide which recipe to make with it. I love Pumpkin Bars at this time of year but also pumpkin pancakes, or soup; so hard to decide!
I dug up an old recipe that I had not ever tried, torn from a magazine now gone by the wayside as have so many print publications: Pumpkin Banana Bread. I’ve taken to roasting bananas for baking too which both quickly force ripens them but offers a fuller flavor.
It seemed a perfect addition to make this autumnal bread rustic and satisfying. It is dense, moist and deeply flavorful. If you have not yet gotten in the mood for fall, this will surely deliver you!
If you decide to roast your own pumpkin, you must roast the seeds through this method eliminating all the slimy attempts at separating the seeds from the goop! Promise. The seeds come out fantastic every time. The recipe has been pinned thousands of times from my site!
Pumpkin Roasted Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed Light Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 2/3 cup Vegetable Oil
- 4 Eggs
- 3 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour (I used King Arthur's Gluten Free blend)
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 2/3 cup Apple Cider (preferably fresh)
- 15 ounces of Pumpkin Puree (either one can or click here for instructions on roasting)
- 1 medium (1/2 cup yield) Roasted Banana (click here for roasting instructions)
- 6 ounces Dried Cranberries OR toasted , chopped Nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 standard loaf/bread pans and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl using a mixer (or with stand alone mixer) combine the sugars and vegetable oil. Beat on medium speed to combine.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating in between each one to fully combine. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and apple cider to the sugar-oil mixture; beating on low speed after each addition to combine.
- Beat in pumpkin and banana. Stir in cranberries or nuts.
- Spoon batter evenly in the two loaf pans. Bake for 50-60 minutes (or until toothpick inserted comes out clean). NOTE: at 45 minutes add a sheet of foil over the top of each loaf to avoid overbrowning.
- Cool pans on cooling racks for 15 minutes. Turn out loaves onto cooling racks and allow to fully cool prior to slicing.
- NOTE: Bread can be frozen for later use by storing in an airtight freezer bag or container for up to 6 months. To defrost: Allow to warm at room temperature for 6 hours.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Country Home magazine
This delicious recipe was originally published in September 2012 and has been updated in 2016.
Cooking with Michele says
Love your photos in this post! BTW, I always cook all of my random yellow winter squashes (except spaghetti squash) from my CSA farm together when I get the, being largely unable to distinguish much flavor difference from one to the other. I package the pulp in freezer bags or containers in smaller quantities to use throughout the coming months in soups, sauces, or baked goods. Seems to be a pretty good system that’s working well for me!
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
Thank you Michele both for the kind comment on the pics but the great tip! I find I do well to have freezing ideas in mind with my CSA as it is sometimes hard to make it through everything before the next week. I’ve frozen pumpkin puree and will definitely try this. I love Butternut squash but there are some others I am not as adept at using so this will be perfect!
The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time says
I am SO making this! Even though I love pumpkin in pie and baked goods, I have to admit that I’m not overly fond of its cousins in sweetened form. Maybe it’s just the way I grew up.
I’m definitely in the fall mood as well. It’s 59 degrees here so I have a sweater on; even though it’s supposed to get up to 80-something today. I WANT fall! (I’m missing my regular reads tremendously, but I got selected to sit on a jury and duty calls.)
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
And you will SO not be disappointed. I too feel my learning curve wih winter squash is directly tied to my upbringing and really not eating it (or having it in a way that was unappealing such as boiling summer squash for 30 minutes until transluscent then gagging it down).
We are having the same fall temp situation. It’s been raining now since yesterday so DOES feel like fall; thank goodness. So sorry for jury duty but I’m stuggling to keep up with reads too. Fortunately I get YOU on my phone via email subscription so I can read but have been slow to comment!
Meeling says
Sounds yummy! I’d have to leave the cranberries out otherwise my kids likely won’t touch it, but maybe that’s not a bad thing either. 😉
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
You know Meeling I’m a firm believer in making food your own and getting your kids to eat is huge! I wanted to try it with cranberries, loving the seasonal addition, but if they like nuts I’m sure it would be wonderful with those too. OR leave them both out. Make it how your family would eat it I think!
Helene Dsouza I Masala Herb says
I wouldnt know either what to do with the squash, now at least I have seen a couple of recipes online, so I have an idea what it might taste like. In fact I have never seen a real squash. lol sounds weird right? We have only lots of pumpkin and zucchini growing in our humus in europe, so those are our primary autumn vegetables.
You recipe sounds magnificient! I like spices and autumn spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg especially. I can imagine the ginger will give your pumpkin banana bread another dimension. I really should start baking more breads! thanks for sharing! =D
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
Well Helene if you grow pumpkin then you can make many fall dishes and use the link in the post to roast your own. It’s so easy. I have some left over squash and it’s very rainy and dreary here so I’m going to make this soup today: https://boulderlocavore.com/2011/01/roasted-pumpkin-and-cannellini-bean-soup.html
So many options with pumpkin. As soon as you start cooking with it you’ll find many more too!
Kirsten@ My Kitchen in the Rockies says
Toni, thanks for helping out. I was on the look out for a new pumpkin bread recipe. Do you think I could substitute the banana (allergies) with more pumpkin puree? I would assume so, right? I totally agree with Michele, the pictures are gorgeous. I want that cutting board!
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
Hi Kirsten. I do think you should try substituting more pumpkin for the banana. It will probably make the pumpkin flavor more dense but has a similar consistency so I would not think you’d have to add other ingredients to counter the substitution. Let me know how it goes!
Thanks for the photo ‘nod’!
torviewtoronto says
deliciously done lovely pictures
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
Thank you so much!
mj says
Never tried pumpkin and banana combination….Have to Have to try this 🙂 these days baking is furious in my kitchen….going to surely try this 🙂
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
Glad to hear you too are baking MJ! What is your weather like these days?
john@kitchenriffs says
Really nice recipe! My wife has been playing around with recipes similar to this lately (she’s the baker; I’m in charge of the main courses and cocktails). Such great flavor. We usually use canned pumpkin – don’t know why we’ve not made our own, because it’s simple. We rarely get bananas that are ripe (brown) enough to use in breads and such, so often roast them. You can also peel them and “roast” them in the microwave – works quite well.
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
What a perfect pair you and your wife are John! I’m fortunate that my husband enjoys cooking too. Keeps it fun when one person is not doing everything for a household. I’m sure all of your wife’s experimentation has been delicious! I feel pumpkin is so versatile. On the ‘make your own’ thing, as you gathered that was an ‘ah ha’ moment for me too. I think when you are used to it coming from a can maybe we don’t realize it came from the squash before that! Always appreciate you reading and commenting.
Cindy O'Keeffe says
Hi! Can’t wait to try the roasted pumpkin/banana bread. Salivating over pics and just roasted my pumpkin! Went to learn about your “best pumpkin seeds ever,” but seems the link is gone ;-( May you please point me in the right direction?
Thanks!
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
Hi Cindy! I’m so sorry about the link! I’m not sure what happened but I’ve reloaded and tested it. Do try it because it was life changing for me. I could never get all of the goop out of the seeds anyway I tried it until this method. Happy Fall to you and family and thanks for reading!
baker street says
Oh Toni! What a gorgeous loaf. I love the idea of roasted bananas in this bread. So perfectly paired with pumpkin and cranberries.
Elizabeth says
Anything pumpkin and I am in. This looks so delicious… and what a gorgeous presentation! Drooling
Jay says
I love the addition of apple cider. I can just imagine how this would taste!
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
I LOVE this! It’s the perfect way for me to kick off my favorite season. Fall! The season when everything is pumpkin! WOOHOO!
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
You know, I’ve never heard of roasting bananas before. They have a great flavor, and I can almost tasted them after being roasted. I can’t wait to try that and to make this bread. Thanks for the heads up on both!
Brandy says
That looks delicious! I bet this would be amazing with your first cup of coffee.
Pam Wattenbarger says
It still feels like summer here and will for a while, but that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying pumpkin flavored things. This pumpkin banana quick bread sounds really tasty. It will be perfect once the weather has actually cooled down.
Toni Dash says
AND you can freeze it Pam so it you want to bake now, put it in the freezer until it feels like fall!
Catherine Sargent says
This bread looks and sounds yummy. I will have to make it for my husband. He loves bananas and pumpkin. I am unfortunately allergic to bananas.
Theresa says
I have never used a real roasted pumpkin to bake with, and I don’t know why. It would be so much healthier than that canned stuff. The bread sound so heavenly. Definitely perfect in the fall with a hot cup of tea!
Melissa @ The Staten Island family says
This looks scrumptious! I can’t think of a better way to eat pumpkin and banana! Bring on the fall season!
Diana says
Yumm! You turned a classic into a fall classic! I love this – we just redid our kitchen so new recipes will encourage me to get in there!
Rosey says
OH man what a flavor combo. I’d love to try it! Hurrah for pumpkin season.
Jeanine says
Wow that looks delicious. I’ve never tried anything pumpkin so would love to give this a try. Banana is one of my faves so would love this i’m sure!
Toni Dash says
Wait, you’ve never tried ANYTHING pumpkin?! I’m shocked you could navigate fall with no pumpkin in it LOL! This is definitely a good starter recipe for you.
Kita Bryant says
Wow, can you say delicious! Added this to my list of fall things to make!
Crystal says
We typically make my grandma’s pumpkin bread recipe but it includes hundreds of cups of sugar. I love this recipe for a fall flavored replacement.
Ann Bacciaglia says
I love making pumpkin everything. This recipe looks so delicious and easy to make. I will have to get the ingredients to make this recipe this weekend.
Tonia @TheChattyMomma says
This screams fall. I want some so bad!
Nicole Escat says
Oh my goodness! This is totally good and yummy!
Brianne says
What perfect recipe just in time for fall. Our kiddies love pumpkin bread and muffins!
Amanda Love says
Awesome! Thanks for the recipe, it looks so good and it’s perfect for gatherings and parties during this season as well. I would love to try and make my own version!