Whether you are in need of a scrumptious after-dinner treat or you are looking for a filling dessert that you can eat anywhere, you can't go wrong with banana bread.
It is a great treat, and the best part is that it is easy for even the novice baker to make in an hour or less.
Here is a quick recipe to get you started and some tips for how to elevate the tasty treat.
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
Take a few moments to gather the necessary ingredients.
2 beaten eggs
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of butter
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking soda
2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 1/3 cups of overripe bananas
When it comes to choosing the bananas, it is true that you want to find them when they are well past their prime.
One reason is that overripe bananas are more mailable and easier to work with, but the main reason is that as bananas become riper, they convert to sugar, making them sweeter, so your bread will taste better.
How to Overrippen Bananas
If you just bought your bananas, but you are too excited for your bread to wait for them to ripen naturally, there are ways that you can quicken the ripening process.
1. If your desire for banana bread is just too great, then you can ripen bananas quicker by putting them in the microwave. First, poke the unpeeled bananas with a fork to add many holes all over the fruit, then put them in the microwave for 30 seconds intervals. Check them every 30 seconds and continue microwaving as necessary.
2. If you have a bit more time, you can use your oven. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and put them on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Set the oven for 30 minutes, but check halfway through to see if they are to your liking.
3. If you don't need your bread immediately, you can go with a more natural technique of using a paper bag. Bananas ripen naturally due to the ethylene gas in their peels. You can quicken that process over a couple do days by putting them in a paper bag, which traps the ethylene and helps it absorb quicker. The process can take 1-3 days.
Step 2: Mix the Ingredients
Now that you have what you need, it is time to put it all together.
First, you will have to mash up the bananas. The easiest way to do so is with a potato, masher, food processor, or a fork if you don't have the other tools.
Now, take a small bowl and mix in the cream, butter, and brown sugar. In a larger bowl, add the baking soda, flour, and salt.
Now, add the eggs and mashed up bananas into the larger bowl. Add the new banana mixture bowl into the flour mixture and stir so everything is moist. Pour the entire mixture into a lightly greased 9x5-inch loaf pan bread loaf pan.
Step 3: Cook and Enjoy!
Set the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). When it is ready, add the pan.
Bake it in the oven for about 60 minutes. When it gets near that time, do a test to see if it is ready. Insert a toothpick in the middle. When you pull it out, if it comes out clean, then your bread is ready to go. If not, add another minute or two.
Let the bread cool for about 10 minutes before serving it up.
Now enjoy your delicious treat!
If you want to add a little extra flair to your banana bread, try these delicious mix-ins:
Chocolate
Dried Fruit
Nuts (cashews, especially!)
Spices (nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon)
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