Banana Bread

Banana Loaf

• 3 large ripe, peeled bananas
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 beaten eggs 
• 1-3/4 cups white flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts OR 1/2 cup raisins

1. Mash bananas. Set aside.
2. In mixer, cream butter, mix in sugar, then add eggs.
3. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.
4. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture.
5. Fold in bananas, stir in nuts or raisins.
6. Put batter evenly in large loaf pan.
7. Bake in preheated 300 degree F oven for about 60 minutes or until bread is golden, shrinks from edges of pan and a crack appears in the top of the loaf.

Brown Sugar Banana Bread

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1-1/4 cups toasted chopped pecans OR 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1-1/2 cups well-mashed very ripe bananas (about 3)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, whisk: flour, light brown sugar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon.
4. In a medium bowl, mix with a wooden spoon: bananas, sour cream, eggs, butter and vanilla.
5. Fold banana mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.
6. Spread batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan.
7. Sprinkle dark brown sugar on top of the batter (optional).
8. Bake 45-55 minutes until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
9. Remove pan from the oven and let bread cool 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
10. Serve warm or at room temperature.
11. Wrap cooled bread in parchment to keep at room temperature up to 3 days.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread

• 3 large ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup shelled walnuts, coarsely chopped OR 1/2 cup raisins OR 1/2 cup any chopped dried fruit.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3" bread pan.
3. Cream butter and sugar until  light and fluffy (5 minutes).
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Sift all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt together into a bowl.
6. Stir in whole wheat flour.
7. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, mixing well.
8. With a spatula, fold in mashed bananas, vanilla and walnuts or dried fruit.
9. Pour mixture into pan.
10. Bake 50 to 60  minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
11. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then on cooling rack.