Best of Quick Breads: A Taste of North Carolina's Big Mill B&B (Recipe: Banana Pecan Oat Bread)

A connoiseur of quick breads, I have turned to Big Mill's Banana Pecan Oat Bread on multiple occasions during the past few years and in my opinion, the following recipe yields impeccably delicious results. If you fancy homemade breads, especially those varieties that pair nicely with breakfast, brunch, coffee or tea, I encourage you to make this bread---you will love it.

Note - I have also doubled this recipe to produce 2 loaves, adding just a touch of brown sugar as well, and can honestly say this bread was a knock out. Enjoy!

 

While Chloe Tuttle, owner of Big Mill Bed & Breakfast in Williamston, NC, makes this phenomenal bread using pecans harvested from 88-year-old pecan trees growing on her inn's property, you can use pecans purchased anywhere. Easy to prepare, yet sumptuious and something you would expect to find in a metropolitan bistro or gourmet bakery, this is one quick bread recipe you'll turn to time and again for fool-proof results.

Banana Pecan Oat Bread

A "Best of" Inn Cuisine, recipe courtesy Big Mill B&B

Yield: 1 loaf (up to 15 thin slices)

• 1 cup Grape Nuts cereal (regular, not flakes)
• 1 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats 
• ½ cup self-rising flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• ½ to ⅔ cup VERY ripe bananas, mashed (the bananas may have black spots on the skins, or even black skins)
• ¼ cup Craisins (sweetened dried cranberries)
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ½ cup pecans, chopped (walnuts are good too)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F for baking. Combine Grape Nuts, oats, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center of mixture. Whisk together buttermilk, oil, eggs and mashed bananas; add to dry mixture, stirring just until moistened. Fold in dried cranberries, raisins and nuts. Pour batter into a greased 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 28 to 32 minutes OR until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of loaf comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove bread from pan and allow to cool on wire rack.

This bread is delicious served warm with butter, or at room temperature.

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photo credit Chloe Tuttle

Comments

[Natasha @ Saved by the Egg Timer]

I am going to try this. We love banana bread, pecans and golden raisins. This sounds like a wonderful combo. I am going ot make this next time I have black bananas.

[Jackie]

Hi

How much brown sugar did you add to this recipe.

[Sandie {Inn Cuisine}]

Natasha - Thanks for your comment :) I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

Jackie - When I added "a touch a brown sugar," I measured 1/4 cup---just enough to add a touch of that brown sugar warmth! (That small amount didn't seem to make the recipe too sweet or affect the way it baked, as an FYI.) Thanks for your question!