While staying at my friend Pamelah’s house for a few days, I had agreed to do some cooking. And the first thing I noticed in her kitchen was that she had some overripe bananas. What better to make than banana bread, right?
The problem is that so many banana bread recipes leave me feeling flat – too sweet, too cakey, too dry … So I was simply delighted when I came across this recipe and tried it. It’s moist, with a consistency a bit like good bread pudding. A bit chewy, a bit dense, but not heavy and not at all dry or crumbly. And with just a half a cup of sugar, it’s also not too sweet. To quote a certain golden-haired girl, “It’s just right!”
2-3 ripe bananas, peeled
1/3 c melted butter
1/2 c sugar
1 t baking soda
pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour (less, if you’re using less bananas)
1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 c chocolate chips (optional)
Mash the bananas in a bowl with a fork, then stir in the melted butter. Combine the sugar, baking soda and salt in a small bowl, then throw those in along with the egg and vanilla. With all the liquid ingredients combined, stir in the flour just until combined.
Bake at 350 degrees in a greased pan as follows:
*in an 8×8 baking pan, about 45 minutes
* in a standard loaf pan, about 60 minutes
* in 2 mini loaf pans, about 40 minutes
* in muffin tins, about 35 minutes