Banana Bread

BANANA BREAD

Banana Bread is another one of those straightforward recipes that always seem to fall short of expectations. We tried and tried to find the perfect one, but it eluded us every time.

It was time to get serious about this one after all the attention was focused on homemade banana bread recipes last year.

My hunt was finally done when I made the famous banana bread recipe right away. That’s how good it is.

There’s just enough sour cream to make it creamy but not overpoweringly so in the sugar and egg mixture. Espresso for breakfast or tea to end the meal is the perfect pairings.

We’re uploading this for posterity’s sake, as we do with so many of our seemingly haphazard baking attempts. Our go-to banana bread recipe for when we wake up on the weekend with a hunger.

I’m not a banana bread purist. Chocolate and a handful of walnuts are my go-to snacks when I’m in the mood for something healthy.

If you’ve ever been puzzled about how to jazz up a banana bread loaf, we’ve got the answer!

This recipe, in our opinion, is best served as a puree of bananas. Because marbling has been attempted so many times, it’s our opinion that chocolate chips are a better option than the marbling effect.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 1/2 very ripe medium bananas
• 2 tablespoons of sour cream
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 1/8 cup of sugar
• 2 large eggs

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 325°F by putting a rack in the middle. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
2. Scatter cinnamon and salt over the dry ingredients in a medium basin. Dispose of.
3. In a stand mixer, combine sugar and eggs and mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes. A hand mixer should be used for eight minutes of beating. Hand-whisking for 10 minutes or until your arm goes limp and you’re no longer bothered is a good rule of thumb when mixing by hand.
4. Reduce the speed of your mixer to low, and carefully pour in the oil in a thin stream until your sugar and eggs have been thoroughly incorporated into one another. A minute is about right. Using a hand whisk for this task is difficult, but try your best!
5. Add the sour cream, vanilla essence, and bananas. In a low-speed blender, combine the ingredients.
6. The dry ingredients should be gently folded with a rubber spatula until they are just partially mixed (and there are no visible flour streaks). The batter should not be overworked. Then, if using, fold in any additional ingredients (no more than 3/4 cup combined).
7. In a loaf pan, put in the batter and bake for about an hour in the center of the oven. In order to achieve a deep golden color and a center that springs back when pressed, bake for 60-75 minutes. Cool before serving. Banana bread is delicious served warm with butter, but the next day it’s even better. Allow it to sit on the counter overnight, covered with a lid. With a loaf pan, we just put it on the included top. Covered cake plates can also be used for this purpose.