Banana Bread

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Can I get a raise of hands…how many of you currently have at least 3-4 black bananas laying around your kitchen that you’re planning on throwing away? It happens! We sometimes forget about our fruit, but bananas are that one fruit we have the ability to repurpose into something way more delicious than the mushy, sugary substance hiding behind their black peels. Today, I’m urging you to save the money you spent on those bananas and whip up some of my yummy Banana Bread (which, let’s face it…is more of a cake)! My recipe is extremely easy to prepare. You don’t even need a mixer…just a simple wooden spoon, and you can literally have this in the oven in less than ten minutes flat! Plus, making this little loaf of heaven comes along with the added bonus of your house smelling absolutely amaaaazing for several hours!!!!

Before you run to your kitchen though, let’s talk about the ingredients quickly. I mentioned black bananas above, because they are literally the BEST bananas to use for this recipe. When I say “black bananas”, I am simply referring to bananas that have ripened to the point in which they are essentially spoiled. It’s not necessary however to use black bananas, as any ripened banana will also work. Just keep in mind that a regular ripened banana might take a little extra elbow grease to mash up when making this recipe. In addition to the bananas, you are going to need butter, sugar, one egg, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt and flour. I also love adding chocolate chips into my banana bread on occasion because the flavors marry together extremely well, but that is entirely up to your preference.

To make the bread, begin by preheating your oven to 350˚F and greasing a 4 x 8-inch loaf pan with butter.

Next, in a medium bowl, mash the bananas with a wooden spoon until they are the consistency of pudding. It’s best if there are no visible chunks of banana remaining. Mix the butter into the mashed bananas. Add in the sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and stir until fully incorporated. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the batter and mix thoroughly. Add the flour in last and mix until completely combined. If you opt to add the chocolate chips, now is the time to fold them in.

Pour the batter evenly into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

I prefer to cool my bread completely before slicing and serving it, but many of you might also enjoy yours warm. When I make it without the chocolate chips in it, I like to slice it and spread some butter on it. It’s equally delicious when you spread some butter on both sides and then throw it on a grill pan on the stovetop to grill it up a bit.

This recipe can also be turned into 12 banana muffins by simply filling muffin tins with the batter instead of the loaf pan. The muffins can be eaten plain or you can choose to pipe some cream cheese icing on the top for an extra kick of sweetness.