Banana Bread

 

 Banana bread is glorious.  Whenever bananas get a little too ripe, we throw them in the freezer.  I love that I have a freezer full so that when I need to whip something up (like at 5 a.m. this morning as a thank you for someone), I can pull some out and create these beautiful loaves.  I don't often make regular size loaves of any sweet bread.  I typically use my mini loaf pans or my square brownie pan to make smaller versions that I can give out or freeze for my boys.  

This recipe is my favorite for just regular banana bread, I have a different one for one with chocolate chips.  I don't enjoy nuts in my sweet breads but you could add any type of nut if that's what you like.

I think the key for this recipe is super ripe bananas and actually whisking the wet ingredients together to get a good mixture of all the sweetness from the sugar and bananas.  Oh..yeah...its not the healthiest of recipes with 1.5 cups of sugar!

I typically double this recipe.
 
 Banana Bread

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large), if it's a little more or less it's fine...I tend to use a little more
• ¾ cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350°. Coat loaf pans with nonstick spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, bananas, and oil in a large bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture and stir just until combined. Scrape batter into prepared pans and smooth top.

Bake until a tester inserted into the center of bread comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let bread cool in pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife around inside of pan to release the bread. Turn out onto rack and let cool completely.

If you want to just bake one big loaf (9x5x3), spray pan and bake for 60-70 minutes.

I can get 8 mini loaves with this recipe.

Fair warning, this bread is delicious and addicting!!!