Guinness Banana Nut Bread

Found this on line by Ken Pappenheim This came in First prize in the dessert category in the 2000 Guinness Cook-off at his local Pub. And for all of you that know me I did tweak it just a bit. Top it with this Orange Cream Cheese Frosting if your want to really bring it up a notch! Heart Optional: You can replace 1/2 cup of flour with Irish steel cut oats. I just spun them in the food processor with the sifted ingredients. Better for your heart!

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 20
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 2  cups  packed light brown sugar
• 1  cup  mashed ripe banana
• 2  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2  tablespoons canola oil
• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1  teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2  cups  Guinness stout (for Vegans try this sight http ( or or homepage.ntlworld.com or geraint.bevan or Vegetarian_beers.ht)
• 2  cups  broken walnuts, toasted
• 1  cup raisins
• 1  cup chocolate chips
• 1  tablespoon  finely grated fresh ginger or 1  tablespoon candied ginger

• Garnish

•  powdered sugar

• Heart Optional

• 1⁄2 cup oats, replaces 1/2 cup of flour with Irish steel cut oats. I just spun them in the food processor with the

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl cream the brown sugar, banana, eggs, vanilla and oil; set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom and cloves.
4. Alternately blend the flour mixture and the beer into the creamed mixture.
5. Stir in the walnuts, raisins, chocolate chips, and ginger to the mixture and blend well.
6. Pour into the prepared pans.
7. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean.
8. Leave in pan for 15 minutes to cool before turning out to cool completely on rack. Plate and dust with sugar.