Delicious Banana Bread

I'm a huge fan of quick breads, like I've said before. Pumpkin is probably my favorite (there will be an amazing pumpkin bundt cake coming soon!), but banana isn't far behind. I have made this recipe about three times now and each was great. The most recent time (when these pictures were taken), I substituted half of the flour with whole wheat flour. I didn't notice any different in taste, texture, or moistness, so if you would like a slightly healthier version, I would recommend this substitution. Otherwise, stick with the recipe that follows!

Just a few tips to get you started. You want to use really ripe bananas. They mash better and have a more banana-y taste. They are gross to handle, but the end result will just be better. I used a mini food processor when I did my “mashing,” but you could use a fork, a potato masher, etc. The food processor makes more of a paste (yuck) and the bread doesn’t end up with any small bits of banana.

The only other thing is to remember not to over-stir the batter once the flour is added. If you do, the bread will turn out gummy and tough. Just stop stirring as soon as the flour disappears!

Time to get baking!!

Basic Banana Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour (again, I used 1 cup regular, 1 cup whole wheat)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out on a wire rack. Enjoy!!