Banana Bread

If you have over-ripe bananas, don’t throw them. Use them for baking Banana bread instead I often buy bananas expressly for making this bread, impatiently waiting for their skins to turn brown and their flesh to become soft and sweet. Banana bread starts with a thick sweet batter that is full of mashed bananas, ground cinnamon and chopped nuts.

I N G R E D I E N T S

225 grams all-purpose flour
150 grams granulated white sugar
1tsp baking powder
1gr baking soda
1gr salt
1tsp ground cinnamon
120 grams walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
113 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled
375 grams mashed bananas (about 3 large ripe bananas)
1tsp pure vanilla extract

H O W T O P R E P A R E

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C and place oven rack to middle position. Butter (or spray with a non stick vegetable spray) the bottom and sides of a 23 x 13 x 8 cm loaf pan.
Line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
Stir in the chopped nuts.
In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, beaten eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.
With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery bread.)
Scrape batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon.
Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 to 70 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
This bread can be frozen.