Not-Your-Ordinary Banana Bread

Having a recipe from your great-great grandparents should not be kept in the kitchen cabinet for decades, it must be shared to the coming generations of the family to feel the ties over the dinner table and keep the fruit flies away from your bananas. Penny, one of my readers, was lucky having a 30-year old banana bread recipe in her family. She said it is a recipe that changed the name of the game for banana bread which is a must try in our oven. To feed my curiosity, a recipe card that seems like something seen in an old movie, which picture was sent by her.

Not my first time to bake a banana bread, but this time, a different recipe.What makes it different? It is lighter and more like bread than the recipe that I have which is very heavy and cake-like.

Since the loaf pan containing this recipe went out of my oven, it never ended there. It’s moist, lightweight and texture makes me go with it every time plus the easiest way to get banana bread on a plate makes no hassle for me. Its as simple as a-b-c procedure makes a quick but quality snack whether you’re in a hurry or friends came but did not have much time to prepare. Before you prepare some for your family, have a slice of it first, might end up not getting any left when they grab first.

Bananas’ Ripeness makes a perfect Banana Bread

Bananas look perfect and inviting because of the yellow color at the fruit stands. Apparently, in making a delicious banana bread, we need to look for the dark spots and feel the softness of the bananas. Over-ripe bananas are the best for banana bread. But what if the bananas aren’t yet ready for this recipe or let us say you are not yet ready to bake but bananas are available? Simply peel them, put in a ziplock and freeze. This technique can add a month to the bananas’ shelf life.

Ingredients:

• Ripe Bananas: Bananas must contain dark spots or natural indication that is over-ripe and must not have green lines. Using a fork, mash them up.
• Baking Soda: This makes the dough rise
• Oil: This makes the bread moist
• Sugar: To sweeten the bread as desired
• Eggs: Hold the ingredients together that makes the structure
• Salt: A pinch to balance the flavor
• All Purpose Flour: Provides the entire structure
• Walnuts: (Optional) Chopped

Not-Your-Ordinary Banana Bread Quick Prep:

1. In a large mixing bowl, pour all the ingredients(banana, baking soda, oil, sugar, eggs, salt and flour) and mix together until well combined.
2. Fold in the chopped walnuts (if using).
3. Spread the grease in a 9×5 loaf pan. Place the loaf pan in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. For best results, use a toothpick to check the bread until no dough sticks to it.

A hand mixer can also be used to mash bananas. Make sure to beat them at low and increase to medium-high speed when they are mashed down evenly.

Variations and Substitutions:

• Butter: When using salted butter, eliminate the salt from the recipe
• Sugar: Sweetness can be adjusted as desired, use of brown sugar adds to it. Coconut sugar can also be used to make it healthier.
• Bananas: When using frozen bananas,  thaw them overnight at room temperature. Eliminate any liquid acquired from freezing before mashing.

What Can You Add to Banana Bread?

Want a more surprising Banana Bread? Recipes are good and can be followed as it is. But never be afraid of trying something new or whatever you think can satisfy your taste buds.

• Chocolate chips: A sweet tooth? You can add chocolate chips all over your bread. It could be on top or inside the dough.
• Nuts or seeds: Want crunch? You may place nuts or seeds on top of the bread or just simply add them to the batter and see where it goes.
• Dried fruit: Something sour and different texture? You can add dried fruits of ypuur choice to add more excitement and surprises on your bread.
• Toppings after baked: It could be cream cheese frosting, maple syrup or just a simple slice of butter spread over top makes it more inviting that no one skips not to take a bite.

How to Keep Banana Bread Moist:

What if a loved one is not yet around and can’t make it on dinner time? Not a problem at all. You can share your baked Banana bread during breakfast instead. All you have to do is properly store it to keep  it moist.

• Entire Loaf: Once completely cool. Wrap it tightly using plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Once wrapped, put in a ziplock and put it in the freezer. Before serving, thaw the bread.
• Slices: When the bread is completely cool, individually wrap the slices using a plastic wrap or an aluminum foil then put them in a ziplock. Freeze overnight. Thaw the slices before serving.

Storing in pantry:

This could be easy but should be handled well. Wrapped the bread using plastic wrap or an aluminum foil then put in a ziplock or an airtight container at a room temperature. Make sure that no air or other moist comes into the container to avoid the bread from getting any molds or getting spoiled.