Jay del Corro via Flickr (photo)
Everyone loves banana bread. This recipe makes a fluffy and moist loaf of bread that is sweet and substantial. I’ve found this to be a great way to ease back into healthier options after the sugar overload of the holiday season. You can add a half cup of dates for a sweeter touch or nuts for a crunchy kick—my choice would be walnuts.
You can use white sugar instead of brown if that’s all you have, but the main reason this bread is so moist is the brown sugar. It will come out darker than normal banana bread, but that’s normal with brown sugar as well—just check it frequently after the 45-minute mark.
Ingredients:
3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup melted butter (microwave 30 seconds)
1 cup brown sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.
Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla.
Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.
Add the flour last in thirds, mixing each time.
Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. I used a 5×9 pan so it spread out more.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, checking frequently. It will be ready when a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.
