Banana Bread is one of my ultimate baked comfort foods. It sometimes feels like a decadent treat, when baked with chunks of chocolate, yet it can also feel like a healthy snack, when baked with loads of fruit and nuts.
I’ve spent years trying to find the perfect recipe and ingredient combinations. I’ve tried adding different nuts, oats, fruit (image below) and different whole grain flours and spices, etc., but I always come back to some variation of the recipe below. In my humble opinion, it is the Best Ever Banana Bread.
Banana Bread is such a versatile loaf. It can be eaten as a snack, dessert, or for breakfast. However or whenever you choose to eat it, banana bread is a definite crowd pleaser!
In terms of baking, Banana Bread is pretty easy to make and most people have over-ripe bananas in the freezer (I keep mine for baking and smoothies). I will often bring a loaf of
Banana Bread with me as a hostess gift (although I do omit the walnuts if I’m uncertain of nut allergies) and I’ve given many loaves as gifts or “thank you’s” to friends, family and co-workers.
Whether you choose to dress it up, or dress it down, Best Ever Banana Bread is a winner. I’d love to hear what you think about the Best Ever Banana Bread recipe. Please leave a comment below or post your pics to #mykuratedlife on social.
I hope you enjoy my favourite Best Ever Banana Bread,
Krista
Best Ever Banana Bread, adapted from “The Shopping Bags”
Makes 1 loaf + a few muffins, or 3-4 mini loaves if gifting
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 bananas, mashed *
1/2 cup chocolate chunks or chocolate chips (* I omitted these and added cherries above - see Recipe Note for details)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Method
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a standard 9”X 5”X 3” loaf pan with non-stick baking spray.
In a skillet over medium heat, toast walnuts for 1-2 minutes. They will burn fast, so keep moving them in the skillet. Set aside to cool, then chop.
In a stand mixer combine butter and brown sugar. Mix together until creamy and light in colour. Add eggs and vanilla one at a time until fully combined.
In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
In a small bowl, discard any liquid that has come from the thawed bananas and mash until only small lumps remain.
Slowly add the dry ingredients into the stand mixer and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Fold remaining ingredients in by hand with a spatula; mashed bananas, chopped walnuts and chocolate chunks.
Pour mixture into sprayed loaf pan until it is 2/3rds full. The bread will rise during baking.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, then lower oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for an additional 30-45 minutes or until a toothpick tester comes out of the loaf centre clean. Allow banana bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely on a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes:
*I prefer to use frozen bananas in my banana bread, as they add a caramel-like flavour. First thaw bananas, discard any liquid that forms while thawing, then mash.
*Add-ins: If adding fruit I prefer to use frozen fruit (I used local frozen and pitted Byng cherries in the images above, blueberries also work nicely), as the fruit holds it shape better when baking. In order to prevent colour staining from the fruit and the fruit from sinking to the bottom of your pan, place 1 tablespoon of flour and 1 cup of frozen fruit into a bag and shake to coat. Add fruit to the mixture at the end, right before pouring into the loaf pan.
*If you are taking or gifting a loaf of Best Ever Banana Bread, I like to “add a little wow” by adding a banana to the top of the bread (images above). After pouring the batter into the loaf pan, peel a FRESH (this is important!) banana and cut it vertically (length-wise) in half. Place both halves (cut side up) on top of the batter, then bake according to recipe.
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