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Banana Bread

Banana bread is such a great way to use up old bananas, which makes my waste averse self happy.

Course Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Cooling Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 1 loaf or 4 mini loaves
Author Janssen Bradshaw

Ingredients

  • 1¾ cups flour I usually do half white-wheat and half all-purpose
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 5 large very ripe bananas, peeled
  • 8 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp granulated or Turbinado sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Lightly grease a loaf pan (or loaf pans, or hey, muffin tins) with cooking spray.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, soda and salt. Whisk together.

  3. Put peeled bananas in a large microwave-safe bowl; cover the bowl with plastic wrap and cut a couple of slits in the wrap to act as vents (if you use too small of a bowl, your bananas are going to overflow and make your microwave a sticky mess. Don't ask how I know this). Microwave about 5 minutes, until the bananas are soft and have released liquid. Dump the bananas into a mesh strainer set over a medium saucepan and let drain, pressing the bananas down occasionally, for around 15 minutes (you should have ½-¾ cup liquid in the bottom of the saucepan).

  4. Put the saucepan with the banana liquid on the stove and heat to medium-high.
  5. Cook until reduced to about ¼ cup, about 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally.
  6. Meanwhile, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla.
  7. When the banana liquid is reduced appropriately, remove from heat and add the drained bananas to the liquid, mashing with a fork or potato masher until fairly smooth. Pour in the butter/egg/sugar/vanilla mixture and stir to combine.

  8. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients you whisked together earlier and fold together gently, just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s).

  9. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top.

  10. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or a gentle press of your finger doesn't leave an indent in the top, 55-75 minutes for a single loaf, more like 30-45 for mini loaves, and about 20-30 for muffins.

  11. Allow to cool at least 15 minutes in the pan before removing.

  12. Continue to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

(from Cook's Illustrated via Annie's Eats)