Banana Bread

While I was growing up, my neighbor, Sally Hudson, was a close friend of my family. My parents played cards with her; we planned neighborhood“trash can” dinners together and she let all of the neighborhood kids make leaf houses and leaf forts in her yard. She also gave me my first Banana Bread recipe. That recipe has been changed many times over the last 50 years and only faintly resembles the recipe Sally gave me, yet I still keep her name on my personal recipe card.

Whenever you make my Banana Bread, I hope you will enjoy the intense banana flavor, the melt-in-your-mouth crumb, and the rich buttery undertones. Sally would.

The Inside Scoop

When both volumetric and weight measures are provided, the volumetric measures should be considered approximations. The standard measure for a cup of sugar is 192 grams. By volume, this measure will be less than 1 cup.

When adding chopped nuts, spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes until aroma rises and nuts are lightly brown. Let nuts cool before adding to the batter. Pre-baking nuts helps to keep the nuts crisp and enhances the flavor

Line the bottom and ends of baking pans with parchment paper. Let parchment paper extend over the short ends of the pan to create “handles.” This makes it easier to remove the bread from the pan.

When making large loaves (rather than mini loaves or muffins); double the pans; this reduces the likelihood of the edges or bottom of the loaves becoming too dark.

Two nested pans lined with parchment paper “handles”

Let butter soften to room temperature. To soften quickly, place the stick of wrapped butter in a microwave and microwave on low heat until slightly softened but not melted. Leaving the butter in the original paper helps it soften evenly.

Be sure eggs are at room temperature. Warm eggs hold more air than cold eggs, which means a lighter bread. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature before cracking, place eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 10 minutes.

Crack eggs into a small bowl before adding to the batter. That way, it is easy to remove any bits of eggshell.

Combine the flour mix, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl; mix until leaveners and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour; this helps to ensure an even rise.

Bananas vary in size; 3 medium bananas may be the right amount, or may not be enough and then your bread lacks flavor or may be too much and then your bread is heavy and dense. Weigh your bananas to ensure you have the right amount.

Do not mash your bananas. Rather, add sliced bananas to the batter; your mixer will mash most of the banana but leave you with some small bits of banana for extra banana flavor.

Wheat flours contain gluten. Extended mixing can create a strong gluten structure, which results in a chewy crumb and a tough crust. Gently stir in or fold the flour mix into the batter by making a well in the middle of your flour and pouring the liquid mix into the middle. This ensures there is no dry flour on the bottom of the bowl. Then, using your spatula, slice down through the middle of the bowl and gently lift the batter on the side and fold over.

After cooling for 10-15 minutes it is important to remove your baked bread from the pan so that the bread does not “stick” to the pan and the bottom of the bread does not become wet from condensation as the bread cools.

Print Recipe

Banana Bread

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By Connie Teunis – Serves: 12-15

Prep Time: 20 minutes – Cooking Time: 50+ minutes

A very moist banana bread with an intense banana flavor, small chunks of banana, a melt-in-your-mouth crumb, and rich buttery undertones.

Ingredients

192 g. / 1 c. Sugar

115g. / 1 stick Butter, softened slightly

2 large eggs, eggs, beaten

120 ml./ ½ c. Buttermilk

1 t. Vanilla

325 g. / 1 ½ c. (approximately 3) very ripe bananas, peeled and sliced

270 g./ 2 ¼ c. All-purpose Flour

1 t. Baking Soda

1 t. Baking Powder

60 g./ 1/2 cup chopped nuts, opt.

½ t. Salt

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2

If you want to include nuts in your banana bread, spread nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes for almonds or 10 minutes for walnuts or pecans until aroma rises and nuts turn lightly brown.

3

Line the bottom and short ends of one 5” x 7” loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving handles to extend above the ends of the pan. Spray with a non-stick cooking spray. If using muffin tins, line cups with cupcake liners and spray lightly with a non-stick cooking spray.

4

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix to distribute everything evenly.

5

Crack eggs into a small bowl. Whisk eggs lightly.

6

In another small bowl, combine buttermilk and vanilla; whisk lightly.

7

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until thoroughly combined. Add whole bananas and beat.

8

Add 1/3 of the buttermilk and vanilla and 1/3 of the flour mix; with a spatula, fold in until well combined; repeat twice with remaining buttermilk mix and flour mix.

9

Pour into the prepared loaf pan or muffin cups and place in preheated oven.

10

Bake for 50+ minutes for a loaf pan or 20 minutes for muffins – or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out (almost) clean.

11

Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, then run a knife along the long sides to loosen bread and use handles to lift out loaf and place onto cooling rack; let cool completely.

12

Enjoy!