Best Banana Bread Recipe
Enjoy this incredibly flavorful and moist Banana Bread Recipe.
This Banana Bread is everything it should be…super moist and rich in flavor! Originally posted on my blog over a year ago, this recipe remains my single most requested recipe - hands down. As an Airbnb Superhost I enjoy giving our guests a few treats to enjoy during their stay. Whether they arrive hungry late at night or wake up early for a breakfast treat, this breakfast quick bread is as delicious as it is versatile.
My family has a long tradition of making banana bread. Maybe I should say “eating” banana bread. It was my mother who set to the task of making the banana bread for the rest of us to eat. No matter when we had it through out the year, it was (and still is) an absolute essential at our Thanksgiving feast.
I have adapted my mom’s recipe over the years. It’s been scaled for a professional kitchen and back down again in size. I may have tweaked it here and there as Chefs tend to do.
This baked good makes a wonderful gift. I even package up individual slices and share it with our Airbnb guests. Needless to say - it is a big hit. It is the number one recipe our guests ask for. Enjoy!
The secret is all in the bananas.
You simply can not make fabulous banana bread without knowing how to select the best bananas. Generally when you go to the store to select bananas to eat, you search for the perfect yellow skin color, no blemishes and more. When you select bananas for baking, you want the absolutely worst, brown ugly ripe bananas you can find. Generally this means you will take leftover bananas or age them before use. A few times I have even gotten lucky. I love a thoughtful produce manager who sets aside badly ripened fruit and discounts them for savvy customers! When I am not so lucky, I peel my leftover ripe bananas and put them in a ziplock bag and place them in the freezer. When I am ready to bake, I simply remove them from the freezer (the day before) and let them thaw in the fridge. Warning - they will look horrible when they have thawed out but don’t worry! You’ve got this all under control. You can pour off and discard any pure liquid and use the banana pulp that remains. It is good to remember that It is always best to use and combine ingredients at room temperature so be sure to let the mix warm up before using. Don't forget to puree in your food processor and you will be good to go!
Best Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature eggs
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
4 medium super ripe bananas - pureed
1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Preheat a conventional over to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, peel and puree the over-ripe bananas. This step is very important. By pureeing and aerating the bananas, the sugars will develop and the puree (flavor) will be evenly distributed through out the bread.
Pan spray a standard size large loaf pan (or other desired pans) and set aside.
In a electric mixing bowl, cream the soft butter and brown sugar together for approximately 3 minutes until fluffy. Add the room temperature eggs and vanilla extract, scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to blend until combined. Add the pureed bananas, scrape down and mix until combined. Add all of the remaining ingredients, scrape down the sides (and bottom) of the bowl and continue to mix. Once all of the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, pour batter into a prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and a sharp knife inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Ovens and times may vary. For my oven, a standard loaf pan takes approximately 1 hour to bake.
Store in an air tight container and tightly wrap with plastic wrap. I like to slice and package the bread in a pretty cello bag and tie it with a bow.
