Banana Bread

Sat, Jan 9, 2010

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Don’t be surprised if you intentionally let your bananas ripen so that you have an excuse to make this bread. It’s that good! This loaf freezes well so double the batch and save a loaf for later.

I recommend using ripe bananas. I’ve tried using firm yellow bananas in a pinch and they just don’t work as well; the bread has a biting raw flavor. I look for bananas that are soft and have spots of brown on the peel but I have used bananas with completely dark skins. I cut off any bruised pieces of the banana before mashing them. Not only are ripe bananas easier to mash but they give the bread a sweeter and richer banana flavor.

My family likes to eat this bread plain or slathered in peanut butter.

Banana Bread

Recipe Type: Baking

Author: Itsy Bitsy Foodies

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 8+

Don’t be surprised if you intentionally let bananas ripen so that you can make this bread…it’s that good. My family likes to eat it plain or slathered in peanut butter.

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed banana (approximately 2 ripe bananas)
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup milk + 1 tsp vinegar (or 1/3 cup + 1 tsp buttermilk)

Instructions

Cream the shortening and the sugar.
Add the eggs and the mashed bananas.
Alternate between adding the remaining dry and wet ingredients.
Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan.
Bake the bread at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the loaf cool in the pan for ten minutes.
Gently slide a knife around the edges of the loaf to loosen it from the pan.
Invert the pan onto a plate and gently shake and tap the pan until the bread falls out.
Let the banana bread cool completely on a wire rack.

{TIP: Mashed bananas freeze well. If I have bananas that are getting too ripe but I don’t have time to make bread, I mash the bananas and freeze them in 1 cup portions so that it’s all measured and ready to go for when I do have time to bake.}