Things You'll Need:
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 2/3 cup sugar or sugar substitute
- 2 eggs
- 2 to 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
- ¼ cup low-fat buttermilk or skim milk
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 cup 100% bran cereal (not the flakes)
- ¾ cup dried apricots, chopped
- 8 dried dates, chopped (optional)
- ½ cup walnuts, pecans or almonds, chopped
- 3 large bowls
- 1 loaf pan (9-by-5-by-3 inches)
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Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
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Step 2
Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl using a mixer. Add the eggs and mix well.
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Step 3
Mix the bananas and buttermilk (or skim milk) together in a separate bowl.
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Step 4
Blend the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground cinnamon together in a third bowl.
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Step 5
Add the dry ingredients and the banana-milk mixture to the bowl of creamed butter and sugar, alternately adding a little of each until all ingredients are combined.
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Step 6
Put the bran, apricots, dates and nuts into the bread mixture and stir well.
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Step 7
Pour the bread mixture into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick or knife into the middle of the bread and it comes out clean.
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Step 8
Cool the bread for 10 minutes, then remove it from the loaf pan and place it on a wire rack or serving dish. Slice up your apricot banana bread, spread on some butter or cream cheese and enjoy.
