Difficulty: Intermediate
Ah, banana bread. The go to recipe when you have brown bananas. If you’re like me you probably have a decent stock pile of brown bananas in your freezer. No one in our house likes brown bananas, so almost always the last banana from the bunch ends up in the freezer. I tell myself I’m not being wasteful, I’ll save the banana for banana bread, banana cake or a smoothie.
I never really know how many bananas have collected until one falls out of the freezer and lands on my bare foot. Then, as I swear under my breath, I count the frozen bananas and realize I may have a frozen fruit hoarding problem. Time to make banana bread.
This banana bread recipe is pretty quick to put together. You can make the recipe as is or add mix ins like walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, or dried fruit. You can also substitute greek yogurt for the oil to make it fat free and higher protein. Try replacing half the flour with whole wheat flour to boost the fiber and protein or toss in some ground flax seed to add omega three’s and fiber. There is so much you can do with this basic recipe, but I recommend that you make the recipe as is first. Then you’ll know how it bakes up and what mix ins and substitutions will work.
Banana Bread
3 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar (creates a dark, but very moist bread)
6 Large Very Ripe/Frozen Bananas (thawed)
3 Eggs (room temperature)
3/4 Cup Canola Oil or Coconut Oil (coconut oil will add some coconut flavor) (Greek Yogurt if going fat free)
2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Preheat oven to 350° F. If using frozen bananas be sure to defrost on counter at room temp (place bananas in a clear glass or metal baking dish, defrosting bananas will leak brown liquid that can stain white counter tops and white dishes) or for 30 seconds in microwave. Place a wire strainer or flour sifter over a mixing bowl. Add all dry ingredients to sifter/strainer and sift dry ingredients together into mixing bowl. In a separate mixing bowl cream together oil, sugar and egg. Then add vanilla extract and bananas. If using fresh bananas mash with a fork before adding to mixing bowl. If using defrosted bananas cut the top off with a pair of scissors and squeeze liquid banana into mixing bowl, no mashing required. Once the wet ingredients are combined add the dry ingredients a third at a time. Mix well to incorporate dry into wet after each addition. Once the batter is finished pour into a greased 9×5” loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes-1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Yield 2 loaves about 24-32 servings
Preheat oven to 350° F. If using frozen bananas be sure to defrost on counter at room temp (place bananas in a clear glass or metal baking dish, defrosting bananas will leak brown liquid that can stain white counter tops and white dishes) or for 30 seconds in microwave. Place a wire strainer or flour sifter over a mixing bowl. Add all dry ingredients to sifter/strainer and sift dry ingredients together into mixing bowl.
In a separate mixing bowl cream together oil, sugar and egg.
Then add vanilla extract and bananas.
If using fresh bananas mash with a fork before adding to mixing bowl. If using defrosted bananas cut the top off with a pair of scissors and squeeze liquid banana into mixing bowl, no mashing required.
Once the wet ingredients are combined add the dry ingredients a third at a time. Mix well to incorporate dry into wet after each addition.
Once the batter is finished pour into a greased 9×5” loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes-1 hour.
Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Yield 2 loaves about 24-32 servings
