Sweet Things Remembered

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Anytime I have bananas that are too ripe to eat, I whip out this recipe. It’s a sweet, moist, cake-like loaf that is perfect for using up those bananas before they go bad.

As a kid, I remember opening my grandma Donna’s freezer, and it never failed there would be whole bananas stuck in the door, waiting to be used. As an adult, I buy bananas almost every time I go to the grocery – one, because I love bananas, and two, because it’s one of the easiest fruits to just grab and eat. However, I never seem to get through them fast enough, so now I have my own stash of freezer bananas stuck in the door, just like my grandma. She had a whole bunch (pun intended) of banana recipes she would make, but this is one of my favorites. There is nothing like having warm piece of fresh banana bread. I make it now as an easy way to use up my uneaten bananas, and as my grandma noted at the bottom of her hand-written recipe, “I love this banana bread.”

Ingredients

• Flour – Regular, all-purpose flour is best for this recipe. I like to get the big bag of King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour at Costco, but whatever you prefer will work just as well. For gluten-free, you can use a 1:1 flour substitute.
• Salt – I just use whatever salt I happen to have on hand. Currently, that is iodized table salt or kosher salt.
• Baking Soda – Make sure you are using soda, not powder! There is a difference. The soda will react with the acid in the recipe to help your bread rise.
• Butter, softened – I use unsalted butter, but my grandma would often use margarine in this recipe instead of butter. If margarine is what you have or prefer to use for baking, you can. Either way, it needs to be softened.
• Sugar – Regular, white granulated sugar is all you need.
• Eggs – These are just large eggs.
• Buttermilk – This recipe calls for a small amount of buttermilk, which is something I rarely have on hand. Whenever I don’t have the buttermilk, I make soured milk my mixing a little lemon juice or vinegar into regular milk. The soured milk works just as well.
• Vanilla – I use pure vanilla extract, but you could also use vanilla bean paste. If you use imitation, you may want to use a little more than what the recipe calls for.
• Overripe Bananas, mashed – It is better to use bananas that are overripe because the ripening process breaks down the starches in the bananas, turning them into sugars. This provides more sweetness as well as a more intense flavor.
• Walnuts, chopped (optional) – I don’t think I have ever made this bread without adding the walnuts. They provide an extra layer of flavor as well as a crunchy texture to the soft, moist bread that creates a perfect balance. These are a good option for chopped walnuts that I have used before.

Equipment

• Mixer (optional) – If you have a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, it will be easier to mix your banana bread batter. However, this recipe can easily be made without one. You’ll just need a mixing bowl and something to stir with!
• Loaf Pan – I use a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, and the recipe makes one loaf. My grandma would use two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pans, so if that’s what you have, that will work. You would just need to divide your batter evenly between the two pans. If you need a loaf pan, this one is a good option.

How to Make Banana Bread

• Step 1 – Preheat your oven to 350° F and grease either two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pans, or one 9 x 5 inch loaf pan
• Step 2 – In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients – 1 and 3/4 cups flour, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp baking soda – and set them aside.
• Step 3 – Cream together 1 and 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) of softened butter and 1 and 1/4 cups of sugar until light and fluffy.
• Step 4 – Add 2 eggs to the butter and sugar mixture. Add them one at a time and mix well after each one.
• Step 5 – Alternate adding the flour mixture and 1/4 cup of buttermilk. Once both are fully added, beat for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until well-blended. Note – If you are using soured milk instead of buttermilk, you will want to make that at the beginning of the recipe and set it aside. You can add 1 tsp of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1/4 cup of regular milk.
• Step 6 – Add 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup of mashed overripe bananas (about 2-3 bananas), and 1/2 to 1 cup of chopped walnuts. Stir together until fully combined.
• Step 7 – Bake until the top doesn’t leave indentation when tapped lightly or a toothpick comes out clean. This will be approximately 60-75 minutes.
• Step 8 – Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way. When serving, you can eat it plain, or add a little something extra by spreading some peanut butter or Nutella on your slice!

Banana Bread

Recipe by rebekahdearmondDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

Servings

Prep Time

15

minutes

Baking Time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 – 3/4 cups all purpose flour

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 3/4 cup (1 – 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

• 1 – 1/4 cup sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup buttermilk or soured milk (1/4 cup milk + 1 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice)

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 cup mashed, overripe bananas (about 2-3)

• 1/2 to 1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan
• In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (1 and 3/4 cups flour, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp baking soda). Set aside.
• In another bowl, cream butter (3/4 cup) and sugar (1 and 1/4 cup) until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs (2) one at a time, mixing well after each.
• Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk (1/4 cup). Beat until well blended.
• Add vanilla (1 tsp), mashed bananas (1 cup), and chopped walnuts (1/2 to 1 cup), and stir until combined.
• Bake for 60-75 minutes, until the top doesn’t leave an indentation when tapped lightly or a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way. Serve.

Notes

• If you don’t like walnuts, or have an allergy, you can leave them out or try adding chocolate chips instead.