I’ve read that banana bread is the ultimate quarantine comfort food. I’ve been making banana bread for years and was surprised to learn it’s now a thing. So, here’s the banana bread recipe that's been in my family....forever! I’ve changed it a bit over the years (like, you know, actually writing down directions), but it’s still my favorite banana bread for quarantine or anytime!
Banana Bread
Oven: 325F Bake: 1hr to 1h 15 mins
Makes: 8-10 slices
Ingredients:
1 cup mashed bananas (usually 3 medium)
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 3 Tablespoons milk (any dairy milk – fat free, 2% whole milk)
½ cup nuts (walnuts or pecans) OR ½ cup raisins OR ½ cup choc chips OR a combination of all of them
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Before you start:
DO NOT OVERMIX. It’s really important not to overmix, otherwise, the banana bread will come out chewy, not in a good way.
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Grease loaf pan.
3. In a separate bowl, mash bananas. In a larger bowl, cream butter and sugar.
4. In a glass, a coffee mug or a separate bowl dissolve baking soda in milk.
5. Add mashed bananas to butter and sugar.
6. Add vanilla, cinnamon and egg. Combine.
7. Add dissolved milk/baking soda. Combine.
8. Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix ONLY until combined.
9. Add nuts, raisins or chips. Again, mix only until combined.
10. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. It may take up to 1 hour 15 minutes, just until a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Cool in pan on rack. When cool, take a knife and run it between pan and bread to loosen. Turn over to remove bread.
Variations:
These are variations that work for me. You may need to adjust based on your oven, cooking style, etc.
I cook my bread at 350F, but my ovens tend to run low and I like the top of my bread crispy.
Instead of creaming butter and sugar, then adding mashed bananas, put whole bananas, butter and sugar in same bowl, then use a pastry cutter to chop up.
I haven't tried soy, almond or oat milk, so you're on your own if you use it.
Add a tablespoon of flax meal for extra fiber and/or a teaspoon of chia seeds for protein.
Instead of 2 cups white flour, use 1 ¾ cup white flour and ¼ cup whole wheat flour.
Only have two bananas? Peel, core and chop up a small to medium apple. Skip the pastry cutter if you're using an apple.
If you use frozen bananas, place the bananas in a sieve or colander to thaw. The bananas will lose a lot of liquid and, in my experience, it may make the batter too thin.
If you're serving a crowd and need to cut even slices, cut the bread in half, then cut the half in half, and so on. Slices come out the same size!
What are you baking during quarantine? Let me know about it on Facebook or in Traveleidoscope's comment section!
