"The" Banana Bread

Adapted from: Simply Recipes

Serves: 1 loaf (8 pieces)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients:

2-3 very ripe bananas, peeled

76 g (1/3 cup or 2.7 oz) unsalted butter or butter alternative (melted)

1 tsp bicarb / baking soda

pinch of salt

1/2 cup (heaping) sugar

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 cups flour or GF alternative

1 tsp (heaping) cinnamon

chocolate chips or chopped nuts (optional)

This is "the" banana bread recipe you will ever need. Full stop. 

This recipe came from my best friend, who used to make it for me when I visited her in college. I was initially reluctant to accept a copy of her recipe because I saw it as hers. She made it the best. How could I compare?

Anyone else have a recipe like that? I have several. I finally accepted and I have saved dozens of bananas from freezer burn or composting and served hundreds of people the joy of a good banana bread. 

Reasons I like this recipe: it's incredibly simple to prepare, moist, and the perfect blend of butter, cinnamon, banana, and not-too-sweetness. My favourite pieces are the ends of the loaf because they are crisp and buttery. Mmmm....

Digressing here...

I feel there might be two types of philosophies relating to old bananas 1) discarding too-brown bananas 2) freezing brown bananas to use later. 

Bananas will brown even further in the freezer. Do not be alarmed! This is normal. I usually pull my bananas out of the freezer about 30 minutes before mashing them for this recipe. The future banana-batter mixing bowl is the perfect holding container.

Judge me all you want, but this recipe is too easy because I usually mix everything with a fork in one bowl and call it good. One of my favourite parts of preparing this recipe is mashing the very cold bananas and then quickly stirring in the melted butter. The butter starts to flake as it cools down and hardens. I think this actually adds to a bit of the magic of this recipe! 

Do you like how I was vague about the sugar and cinnamon quantities? Also add in chopped nuts or chocolate chips if you desire. I usually don't, but leave this step for last if you do. I imagine adding about a cup of either option would do well. 

This time baking, the bread smelled done and looked done at 40 minutes but I left it in for the planned 50-60 minutes and it baked dry. Listen to your gut! And when in doubt, stick a knife through it. Streaks of batter? Not done! Crumbing or clean? It's done. Always bake for less time rather than more and check it then. 

Ingredients:

2-3 very ripe bananas, peeled

76 g (1/3 cup or 2.7 oz) unsalted butter or butter alternative (melted)

1 tsp bicarb / baking soda

pinch of salt

1/2 cup (heaping) sugar

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 cups flour or GF alternative

1 tsp (heaping) cinnamon

chocolate chips or chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 177 C / 350 F.

2. In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. Stir in melted butter (quickly if bananas are cold).

3. Mix in the baking / bicarb soda and salt.

4. Stir in sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla.

5. Mix in the flour and cinnamon until the batter is even. (Then add nuts or chocolate chips if desired).

6. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean (40 - 45 minutes).

7. Cool completely on a rack and serve with salted butter when the loaf is still warm.