You learn something new everyday. Don’t miss his monkey shorts!

When asked what recipe they might like to have paired with their music, Stargroves, a project from New York City-based singer-songwriter Teddy Watson, requested banana bread. The band’s self-titled debut album is due out next month and the tracks I have heard are wicked good.

For such an extraordinarily appealing debut album, no ordinary banana bread will do.

Enter Caramel Toffee Banana Bread With Caramel Glaze.

The dense, moist banana bread has caramel in the batter and is flecked with toffee bits. As if that is not heaven enough, the bread is covered in a sweet caramel glaze with more toffee bits scattered on top.

Caramel Toffee Banana Bread With Caramel Glaze

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 very ripe bananas
1/3 cup caramel topping
3/4 cup toffee bits such as Heath® Bits ‘O Brickle Toffee Bits.
Caramel Glaze (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.

2. Grease and flour a 9 × 5 inch loaf pan.

3. In large bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, mixing well. Add in sour cream, then bananas and blend well.

4. In medium bowl, blend flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add this dry mixture to the butter mixture and blend until ingredients are combined. Add in caramel topping and toffee chips and mix until well blended.

5. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (start checking at 60 minutes. My bread took closer to 80 minutes.) Let loaf cool in pan for 15 minutes; then remove from pan and cool completely before glazing.

Caramel Glaze

Ingredients:

1/4 cup caramel topping, heated
1/2 Tbs cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 Tbs Heath® Bits ‘O Brickle Toffee Bits (for sprinkling on top)

Directions:

1. In small microwavable bowl, heat caramel topping for about 20 seconds so it has a thinner consistency. Remove from microwave and stir in cream, blending well. Stir in sugar and blend well. Add more caramel if mixture is too thick to pour.

2. Use a spoon to drizzle glaze over cooled loaf, then sprinkle with brickle bits. Let glaze set 15 minutes or longer before slicing.

Makes one 9 x 5″ loaf

Recipe from Nancy Creative

So, I’ve already told you how much I am enjoying the new songs I have heard from Stargroves. Full of catchy melodies, interesting instrumentation, and intriguing lyrics, they are a fabulous blast of indie pop.

My favorite of the songs is ‘Westfjord’ which features the vocals of Abigail Breslin. Yes, that Abigail Breslin. She has a beautiful, soft voice that harmonizes perfectly with Teddy’s strong tenor.

Check out Stargroves on the band’s Website, where you can learn of upcoming shows in NYC and Cambridge, MA and buy their music.

Cheers!