Banana Bread – The Best

Serves 8 or 1 loaf

The smell of banana bread baking in the oven is one of the many reason why I make it so often.  It not only smells great, it also tastes absolutely fantastic.  The taste of warm, soft bread and the sweetness and subtlety of ripe bananas go so perfectly well together.  It’s also one of the fastest recipes to put together and then the oven takes care of the rest.  You can put it in the oven, set the timer and forget about it.  Well not completely forget about it because the tempting aroma will keep you impatiently coming back to the oven to check to see if it’s done yet.  Some things don’t change even when we grow up!  This is a one-bowl banana bread so even the clean up is quick.  This particular recipe makes amazingly soft, light and delicious banana breads.  While I like to enjoy it warm, it also tastes great once it has cooled.  Let’s get started.

Banana Bread – Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 ripe bananas, mashed well
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups flour, sifted
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with beater attachment (or a large bowl if using an electric egg beater) cream together butter and sugar on low speed until smooth, 1 minute.
3. Turn off mixer and add mashed bananas and eggs and then continue to mix on low speed until well incorporated, 1 minute.
4. Turn off mixer again and add in the dry ingredients and use a spatula to mix into wet ingredients (in order to not make a mess) and then mix on medium speed for 5 minutes until mixture is soft and resembles the consistency of frosting.
5. Pour into lined loaf pan and bake for 60 – 70 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick through the middle.  If it comes out clean, banana bread is done.
6. Turn off oven and remove banana bread and let sit for a few minutes prior to slicing.

Slice and serve after resting the banana bread for 5 – 10 minutes.  This can be served like any other bread with a bit of butter or you can even enjoy it for dessert just as it is or with a light icing.  This banana bread will keep well in the fridge for a few days, if you can resist eating it all freshly baked that is.  If you want a healthier version, try the Quinoa Banana Walnut Bread.