Cranberry Banana Bread

Chef's Notes: Being snowed in (or iced in, to be more accurate) inspired me to bake. And I have a neighbor who has been very helpful about dealing with the weather, so I made this Cranberry Banana Bread for him to say thank you.

The original recipe (I think) is from Smitten Kitchen. I changed the spices a bit, and used rum instead of bourbon, and half wheat flour instead of all white.

Cranberry Banana Bread
(1 loaf)

1 C. smashed very ripe bananas, about 3 or 4
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon (I used rum)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ginger
Smidge (1/32 teaspoon) black pepper
1 1/2 cup of flour (I used half wheat, half white)
1 cup fresh cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla and bourbon/rum, then the spices. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour, mix. Add the cranberries, and stir until just incorporated. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.