Banana Bread with Cinnamon Crumble Topping

I found this recipe in my "To Try" folder and it's from Bon Appetit, September 2008. I think it's about time that I try it already!  I hadn't realized that the recipes in there go back 3 years (and probably longer).  Part of me wants to just throw the whole bulging folder out and the other half says there's a reason I kept these recipes. So we'll see what happens. I kept a few and thrown out a few but have a ton more to check out.  Let's just say I am glad this one became a "keeper." It's very, very good. I've already made this twice in the past 3 weeks.  Had extra bananas that were way overripe just laying around and this recipe won out over trying a new banana cake recipe. Yes, it's THAT good.  My only change from the original recipe was adding dried cranberries since I have a bunch of these way too long already that I needed to use up. They are a perfect addition to this bread.  I doubled the recipe and made two so I have another one of these babies just waiting in the freezer for me!

It's apple season here again and I'm sure I will be bringing back a bunch of apples from Graves Mountain.  Hope to have a slew of new apples recipes to try. If you have any really good ones you'd like to suggest please let me know. I'll be having plenty of apples to use up and one can make but only so many apple pies!!!!

Makes one 9 x 5 in loaf

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup mashed bananas (2 to 3 medium)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup water

2 1/2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour 9 x 5 x 3 inch metal baking pan.  Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.  Whisk next 5 ingredients in large bowl until smooth.  Add dry ingredients; stir to blend.  (if using cranberries add and gently stir at this point).  Transfer batter to pan.  Mix 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and brown sugar;  sprinkle over batter.

Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour.  Cool bread in p

an 30

 minutes.  Turn pan on its side, slide out bread, being careful not to dislodge topping.  Turn bread right side up and cool completely.