Lemon-Drenched Banana-Macadamia Bread

"Lemon-Drenched Banana-Macadamia Bread" (page 403) was an instant hit in our house! Sweet, tart, rich, and satisfying, a little goes a long way and it is the perfect dessert bread sure to please all. It starts out as banana bread, but has elements of a Lemon Jello Cake, something my mother used to make when I was growing up (does anyone else remember this?). What really sets this bread apart from traditional banana bread is the lemon syrup that gets drizzled into the warm loaf after taking it out of the oven (after poking holes in it to catch the syrup). This infusion of flavor makes every bite "a flavor explosion", just like the recipe notes say! The recipe calls for 1/3 cup of oil, but I replaced this with a scant ½ cup of applesauce (one snack size container) and that, along with the bananas, provided plenty of moisture. The macadamia nuts are a nice switch from the walnuts usually found in banana bread, but be aware, they are also a lot higher in fat. I highly recommend this treat for any special occasion.

 

"Keeping it McDougall Friendly" checklist:

 

ü   Replace the 1/3 cup of oil with 1/3 to ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce.

ü    Use whole wheat pastry flour instead of all purpose (white) flour.

ü    Use a non-stick baking pan, one that does not need to be oiled first.