Back to Banana Bread #BreadBakers

We love banana bread.  The kids love it plain, hubby and I like it with a schmear of butter.  I have always been a banana bread purist when baking my own: no nuts, no cinnamon, nothing but banana.  I certainly won't turn up my nose at other banana breads with those ingredients, indeed I have tried others that sound tasty, but I always come back to my simply banana favorite.  That said, I did try adding a little shot of extra flavor by way of coffee liqueur to my latest batch and it was tasty.  You would not guess it was there but it enhanced the banana nicely.

So one thing I have found with banana bread is that you get the best flavor and moist crumb with seriously overripe bananas.  More specifically, bananas so black you would not eat them fresh and might just compost if not for the wonder that is banana bread.  For one thing, they have more sugar.  So if using a perfectly ripe banana that you would also just eat up, the batter will need more sugar to turn out perfectly with a nice, shiny top.  If using a coarse whole wheat or spelt, the loaf will be more evenly moist the next day.

As with any muffin or quick bread, be sure that your baking soda and baking powder are fresh and ready to work to avoid flat baked goods.

(Pictured at top, banana bread with a tiny hint of kahlua; next, simply banana bread with just vanilla; and third, banana bread with fresh ground spelt, which contains a lot of bran.)  The whole wheat style banana bread will be somewhat bran heavy in texture on the first day if using coarse wholemeal flour, but will soften to a beautiful nutty flavor on day two!

Simply Banana Bread
makes one loaf

¼ cup butter, softened
3 tbsp sunflower oil
¼ cup sour cream
2 overripe bananas, mashed (so overripe that you would not otherwise eat it is best)
1 tsp vanilla (if you want to add an undefinable enhancement, try adding ½-1 tsp kahlua or other coffee liqueur with the vanilla)
2⁄3-1 cup evaporated cane sugar (2⁄3 if your bananas are practically black, 1 cup if it hardly has any speckles, though the banana flavor will be less pronounced)
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour (or 1¼ cups light spelt)
½ cup white whole wheat or whole spelt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp sea salt

Lightly butter an 8x4" loaf pan and preheat oven to 350ºF.  In a bowl, cream together the sugar, butter and oil until no lumps of butter remain.  Blend in the banana, sour cream, egg and vanilla until well mixed.  Mix together the dry ingredients and beat in just until fully combined.  Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan.  Bake at 350º for 35-45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  If the crust is perfectly brown but the center still needs time, turn down the temp to 300º and give it another 5-10 minutes.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Enjoy!

 Be sure to check out all the other delectable banana variations:

• Air Fryer Banana Blueberry Oats Muffins from Cook with Renu
• Banana Cinnamon Rolls from Passion Kneaded
• Banana Split Quick Bread from Food Lust People Love
• Coconut Flour Banana Bread - Gluten & Sugar Free from Sneha’s Recipe
• Sourdough Banana Bread with Pecans from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
• Tangzhong Banana Buns from Magical Ingredients
• Triple Berry Banana Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Yeasted Banana Sandwich Bread from Karen’s Kitchen Stories

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.