Whether it’s out of sheer boredom or you’re craving something sweet, the pandemic has left many of us baking more than usual. One of the most popular desserts that really took off last year was banana bread. How many banana bread photos did you see on social media during the height of the pandemic? With the pandemic, many of us have been staying home more often, forcing us to purchase extra food now that we’re home more. This leaves more room for food to spoil. What’s the only thing you can do with overly ripe bananas? Well, you have two options. One you can try to eat them (might not taste so great though) or you can turn those bananas into a delicious, soft bread.
Whether you’re an expert in the kitchen or a novice cook, baking a banana bread can be made by virtually anyone. This particular recipe can be whipped up with just a handful of ingredients and a mixing bowl. The key to making a delicious banana bread is making sure you have very ripe bananas. Two to three bananas is the optimal, since you want to make sure you have a flavorful bread.
How do you know if you’re bananas are ripe enough for baking? Easy, the peel should be mostly brown and the banana should feel a bit squishy inside.
You can also spice up any plain banana bread by adding in a cup of chopped nuts, raisins, chocolate chips or whatever other ingredient you think might be a delicious combination. You can also transform this recipe into banana muffins instead of you wish, just simply pour the batter into muffin tins.
Traditional Banana Bread Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf
Ingredients:
2-3 very ripe bananas, peeled
(about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups mashed)
1/3 cup melted butter, unsalted or salted
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup sugar (1/2 cup if you would
like it less sweet, 1 cup if more sweet)
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 4×8-inch loaf pan.
- In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.
- Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour. Make sure to mix all the ingredients together really well.
- Once the batter is fully mixed, pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350°F, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then remove the banana bread from the pan and let cool completely before serving. Slice and serve.
