Banana Bread
This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, Smitten Kitchen. I found this recipe in her weekly newsletter. I tried it and now it's one of the best banana bread recipes I have tried. Banana bread is not one of my favorites, but it is my husband’s favorite, and he raved that this was the best banana bread he has had.
I did store the banana bread in the refrigerator, but not really necessary as it did not last that long.
The Turbinado sugar is a must sprinkled on top of the batter. It can be found in the baking aisle with the sugars. It adds a delightful crunch on this delicious banana bread. I also used freshly grated nutmeg. I love it and it makes a slight difference in taste, and this is just optional. The batter was a bit much for the Loaf Mold so I made Mini Muffins with the extra batter.
bon COOK tools used: Perforated Baking Sheet, Forteez Loaf Pan, Mini Muffin Tray, Blender Spatula, Le Petit Grater (for the nutmeg), Masher (for the bananas)
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 slightly heaped cups of mashed bananas (4-5 medium-large bananas0
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
A few gratings of fresh nutmeg (optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons raw or turbinado sugar (for the top)
Directions
Place the Forteez Loaf Mold on a Perforated Baking Sheet. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt butter in a large bowl and whisk in the brown sugar until smooth, then stir in mashed banana. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Sprinkle the surface of the batter evenly with the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), baking soda, and baking powder, and whisk until the ingredients are fully dispersed in the batter. Then whisk 10 more times around the bowl because it's better to be overly cautious than to end up with unmixed pockets. Add the flour and stir until combined.
Scrape batter into the Loaf Mold. Only fill a little over 2/3 full (the remaining batter made 9 Mini Muffins).
Sprinkle the top of the batter with the raw sugar.
Bake banana bread for 30-40 minutes. It is done when a toothpick inserted into the bread is batter-free.
Let cool in the Mold. Unmold and wrap in plastic wrap. It will keep for five days at room temperature, and one week in the fridge.
* The batter was a bit much for the Loaf Mold so I made Mini Muffins with the extra batter.