Sometimes the best recipes happen by accident. I was at a friend’s country house one summer morning and got the urge to bake. I decided to wing it and challenge myself by not opening a cookbook to reference a recipe. I spotted a Mason jar of yummy-looking granola and was curious what it would taste like baked into a quick bread. I got my answer when we couldn’t stop snacking on the bread (even a little country mouse got into the action). Use any kind of granola you like—there are two recipes in this book (Pumpkin Seed–Apple Granola or Thai Peanut Granola) or use your favorite store-bought brand.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups slivered almonds (or any nuts)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1½ cups whole-wheat flour
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granola
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1½ cups packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup canola oil
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 medium-size ripe bananas, well smashed
How to Make It
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the almonds on a rimmed sheet pan and toast in the oven until golden, shaking the pan occasionally, 8 to 9 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Line a 10 x 16-inch rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and coat with the butter.
- Whisk the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, granola, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Crack 2 eggs into another large bowl. Separate the other 2 eggs, cracking the whites into a medium-size bowl and adding the yolks to the bowl with the whole eggs. Vigorously whisk the egg whites until they are stiff; set them aside. To the 2 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks add the brown sugar and sugar and whisk until pale and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the canola and olive oils and whisk until combined, then whisk in the bananas. Add the flour mixture and the cooled almonds and whisk until hardly any dry streaks remain. Fold in the whipped egg whites.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared sheet pan and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake resists light pressure, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool completely before cutting and serving.
