Banana Bread
Ahhh the sweet sweet smell of this classic - is it dessert? is it breakfast? who knows, but it is delicious. Banana Bread is that perfect solution for those bananas you bought with the best intentions and then forgot about.
This was a household staple when I was growing up and has been one of my favorite things to learn how to make because it’s simple and hard to mess up. Plus, it cooks long and low for over an hour, so by the time it is done the whole house smells like banana bread and everyone is drooling waiting for a piece.
The hardest part will be resisting the urge to take this out and eat it before it’s ready. Although the outside may look done, use the knife/toothpick technique described in the instructions to make sure you don’t end up with an uncooked middle.
As far as toppings go, honestly you don’t need any but I like to add a little butter and I know others are partial to peanut butter or nutella. Either way if you are eating it after it is fully cooled - I recommend microwaving it just for 10 seconds and it will have that fresh out of the oven warmth again.
1 cup granulated sugar
1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter
2 eggs
4 ripe bananas
1 tbsp milk
1.5 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Prep Time: 3o min
Cook Time: 1 hr, 10 min
Servings: 9
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Coat a 9x5” loaf pan with a tsp of butter or oil.
Butter should be soft, at room temperature (stick in the microwave for just a few seconds if it is cold from the fridge). Using a mixer cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and beat together
In a separate bowl, mash bananas with a fork
Add milk and cinnamon to bananas
Add bananas/milk/cinnamon mixture to butter/sugar/eggs and stir to combine
Add all remaining ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla extract- continuing to mix while adding each. Continue mixing just until all dry ingredients are mixed in.
Pour batter into the pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 min.
When done, insert a knife or toothpick into the loaf to test if it is ready: if it is clean when it is removed it is done, if it has batter stuck to it - continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Allow to cool for 10-15 min, slice and serve with desired toppings.
