“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Baking In The Summer Heat

Last week when it was 100000 degrees, I had some pathetic bananas sitting there on the counter. My husband said hopefully, "Those look ready for banana bread."  You know the last thing I wanted to do was turn on the oven and bake. The A/C was barely able to keep up the way it was. Off to the internet, I knew someone out there must have a slow cooker banana bread recipe. Sure enough I found the one below. There were several posted, but this had the most promising looking image.

I changed the recipe slightly and most of my ingredients are organic.  I don't use corn syrup so I used my Agave syrup instead.  The bread turned out almost as nice as the picture and was equally delicious. I'm sorry I never got around to taking a picture of it, but believe me it was good. My husband loved it. I am sure I will make it again. Now I am thinking of what else I can bake in there???


 
Slow Cooker Banana Bread

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
2 tbsp Organic Raw Blue Agave syrup, or corn syrup
3 ripe bananas, well mashed
1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Grease and flour a 4 1/2 quart Slow Cooker or Crock-pot. 

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add in the baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Slowly add sugar, eggs, syrup, mashed bananas. Beat until smooth. Gradually add flour to creamed mixture just until slightly blended.  Stir in the nuts by hand. 

Pour into crock-pot, cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool, then invert bread onto serving platter or bread board.


Source



Let me know if you have tried baking in your slow cooker.  Happy and Cool Baking!


15 comments:

  1. How interesting! I've never attempted to 'bake' anything in my slow cooker, but I've heard it's possible. I have a crockpot recipe book that has a few recipes that I've never once considered trying out (apple crisp, pumpkin cake & a banana nut loaf) - maybe I'll give one a whirl now!

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  2. Mmmm...this looks delicious! And like Jane, I'm also surprised that a slow cooker will do this. A new thing learned today!

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    1. It was really good, and it didn't heat up the house like the regular oven. That was the biggest bonus.

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  3. 100000 degrees? Feh. Here it was 100001 degrees last week, you whiner.

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  4. Diane, you are a brave soul to bake with this heat! But with the crock pot it is not so bad. I notice there is no flour in this recipe? Or am I missing something? I also love to use agave in place of sugar or honey. I like a round banana bread. xo

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    1. Hi Barbara, Thanks for proof reading for me! I added the missing ingredients. Sorry about my goof up.

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  5. ok, there are a few things I have to say: even though I am a very good cook, baking is not my forte. I will, however, try the recipe. But the whole banana bread thing plus my baking skills will always remind me of my husband and a former girlfriend he had. He told me she would bake him banana bread sometimes. Sometimes she would get it right, but sometimes she would get it so wrong. And he would look at her kindly and say "hmmm real good." I can't stop but wonder if that's the face I will get ;-)

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    1. Baking can be tough! If you try this recipe in the crock-pot, make sure you check the bread at the earlier baking time and test it. All crock-pot models may heat differently. Nothing worse than burnt banana bread!

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  6. We only got up to 99999 degrees last week but I still didn't want to turn on the oven. I've never baked in my slow cooker but looks like this might be a good recipe to try. Thanks for the idea!

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  7. Diane - what a neat idea. My sister in law has a choc. cake recipe that she makes in her slow cooker. It doesn't last long. Heard of Agave before but never tried it. Is it sweet like honey?

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  8. Debbie, yes it is a natural sweetener like honey. I find it has a more neutral taste than honey. It has a glycemic index of 39 or less; 55 or below is classified as low glycemic. It has a natural sweetness without the blood sugar spike. Find even more about it by clicking on the highlighted portion in the recipe.

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  9. Oooooh - I love banana bread and yours looks great!

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  10. You know, my original (1974) crock pot had a copper colored (was it copper or just colored copper?) that was a bread pan for the slow cooker. Makes me sorry I got rid of it . . . Funny thing - I don't think of baking in the crock pot! (DUH?) The recipe sounds good. Thanks.

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  11. so yummy, will have to try!

    I have awarded your blog, check this out!
    http://thesimplecraftdiaries.blogspot.ca/2012/08/liebster-blog-award.html

    cheers
    Andrea

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