Crockpot Banana Nut Bread

 This is a recipe out of one of my fave cookbooks:

 I've been using this book for days because here in Always-Sunny San Diego, the 85 degree humid heat makes me want to leave the oven off as much as possible lately. (Seriously, where is Fall?)

This is an easy recipe to make but it took longer to prep than my usual go-to recipe because of the steps involved.  I must say it's totally worth it because even though the bread didn't come out looking as pretty, it tastes fantastic!

In general, CrockPot slow cooker recipes are developed for the medium-sized slow cooker, or one that accommodates 3 1/2-4 quarts.If you're not sure what size yours is, there's an easy way to check its capacity.  Just fill a measuring cup with 8 ounces of water.  Pour it into the stoneware, then keep track of how many cups it takes to fill the stoneware to the rim.  Remember 2 cups = 1 pint, and 4 cups = 1 quart.  If your slow cooker holds 3 1/2-4 quarts, you should get 14-16 cups of water into it, and so on.

So here's the recipe:

Makes 6 servings

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour   (may substitute a gluten-free kind here)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup butter (which is approx 5 1/3 tablespoons if you're cutting it from a cube like I did)
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup (I only had light Karo syrup on hand & it worked)
3 ripe bananas, well mashed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1.  Grease and flour CrockPot slow cooker.  (I generously sprayed Baker's Joy spray/powder inside mine).  Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in small bowl and set aside.

2.  Cream the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until it's light and fluffy.  Slowly add sugar, eggs, corn syrup and mashed bananas.  Beat until smooth.

 Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture.

 Add walnuts and mix well.

 Pour into CrockPot slow cooker. 

 It doesn't fill much of the CrockPot but it will rise a lot.

I have an oval-shaped CrockPot but the round size is the same.

Cover, cook on HIGH 1 1/2-2 hours or until a toothppick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

It will take a long time to show "brownness" and you'll notice it around the edges, not the top.

 

 This is what the picture inside the book claims it will look like:

 And this is what MINE looked like:

(Brace yourself, it's not *quite* the same...

however I did mention at the beginning it tastes REALLY good!

In my defense, my son told me that if he saw it in the cafeteria, he'd think, "Trash!" but since his Mom made it he would give it a try.  His first words were, "Oh my gosh!  This tastes better than any other banana bread you've ever made!  You should call this the Ugly Duckling Banana Bread!

 It may be due to the fact that I neglected to follow step #3:

"Let cool, then invert to a serving platter."

 Here it is all cooled off:

This is the top: 

And this is the underside (it didn't burn!):

Another lesson in NOT judging a book (or bread) by its cover!

~Bridget