Banana Bread

Banana Bread is the quintessential after-school snack.

I found this recipe twenty years ago before there was such a thing as social media and food bloggers. It was on the go-to platform at the time, the Food Network. There is nothing fussy about this recipe. Simple ingredients you have in your house and the only thing that takes a while is the baking itself. It has real butter and real sugar in it, gasp! There is no swapping out for applesauce or maple syrup. A little butter and sugar once in awhile won’t hurt. It’s all about balance right? I make it gluten-free now for my daughter, but if I have enough bananas I will make a regular version as well.

This is a recipe that’s easy to double. Eat one now and freeze the other one for later. It travels well and can survive a weekend with no refrigeration sitting on a hotel credenza. Oh, and it makes your house smell awesome.

Banana Bread Recipe from The Food Network circa 2004

Ingredients:

1 C sugar- I use organic cane sugar from Costco

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp (so it’s soft)

2 large eggs

3 ripe bananas

1 tbsp milk

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 C All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl or a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk and cinnamon.

In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and mix until combined. Add dry ingredients and mix until flour disappears.

Pour batter into prepared pan and baked for 1 hour to 1 hour and ten minutes (ish) or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Set it on a cooling rack for at least fifteen minutes before turning it onto the rack to cool. * If you are using gluten-free flour, cool for at least one hour in pan.

Slice and serve! I like to reheat a slice in the toaster and smear on some good butter.