Classic Banana bread

This childhood favorite is the pleasantly surprising product of

a few very overripe bananas (and a few other essential ingredients).

From my mother

Banana bread sits right alongside breakfast scones and chocolate-chip cookies as one a few favorite bakes that will always remind me of my childhood. In fact, banana bread was one of the first bakes I attempted when playing house in my own tiny galley kitchen in my first apartment. The results were more than lack-luster: I forgot to add flour. Yes, flour. The charred, gelatinous pile of sugar and banana that emerged from the oven was not salvageable, but thankfully I have since mastered the art of making banana bread (or, if the mood strikes, banana muffins—a quicker bake for easy breakfasts).

Storing & saving

Consume in 2-3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months, thaw and reheat.

Yieldsields

1 loaf or 12-14 muffins

Cooking note

I was given this recipe from a cousin in Slovakia. I’ve included her notes in the recipe below

Ingredients

3/4 c sugar

1/2 c vegetable oil

2 eggs

4 overripe (dark brown) bananas, mashed

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp milk

1/2 c chopped walnuts

Additional add-ons for muffins:

1/2 cup blueberries or

1/4 cup cranberries + 1/4 cup diced apricots + 1/4 cup raisins

Flax Muffins

Add 1 additional overripe banana + 1 additional Tbsp milk + 1/4 cup flaxseed

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Grease and flour your loaf tin, or put muffin papers into your muffin tin .

Mast the bananas.

In a separate bowl, beat oil and sugar together, then add beaten eggs, mashed banana and vanilla. Combine.

Add dry ingredients and milk. Mix well to combine.

Stir in walnuts. If adding any muffin ingredients, stir in blueberries, dried fruit or flax now.

Fill loaf tin or muffin tins. Bake loaf for 50-60 minutes.

Bake muffins for 22-25 minutes.

Ripe is right

The more ripe the banana, the sweeter the banana bread. The problem is that I don’t often have four overripe bananas on hand at the same time. When one starts to reach that perfect ‘banana bread’ spot, I put it in the freezer. When I have enough bananas, I bring them out and thaw them before baking.