Banana Bread

I’ve made banana bread forever.  In fact, this recipe is what won Matt’s heart.  I used to bake a loaf and leave it on the doorstep of his apartment at least once a week.

My kids devour it and I longingly look at it and wish I could eat it now too.  Alas, it’s not gluten free but sometimes worth the intestinal distress to eat a piece!

So without further ado, here is my banana bread.  Complete recipe at bottom of post!

Banana Bread

Here are the ingredients.  I realized you can tell exactly where I grocery shop!

And the two eggs I forgot to take a picture of!

In your mixer beat 1 stick unsalted butter and 1 cup sugar.  Really beat this stuff together.

Add two eggs and beat until light and fluffy. (It usually takes me 5 minutes…enough time to pry two little hands from a piece of paper or paperclip…whichever she seems to find on my VERY clean kitchen floor!)

Add 1 tsp of pure vanilla (I’ve tried the imitation stuff in the past…it has a terrible effect on this bread.  Don’t do it.  Buy the good stuff!)

Now I’m a bit lazy when it comes to mashing my bananas.  I really don’t like to dirty another dish so I just throw in the bananas in chunks and let my mixer do the work.  It really does work out just fine!

Add all your dry ingredients at once.  And then only mix until just blended. This takes a minute at the most. If you mix it too much, your bread will become a  brick.  Don’t overmix!

Add 1/4 cup low fat sour cream or plain yogurt and blend for 20 seconds.

Pour your batter in greased loaf pans (I like the mini pans). Bake at 350 for around 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Depending on how long you can stand it, let your bread cool, cut and devour. Enjoy immensely!

Banana Bread

1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 medium bananas, very ripe

2 cups flour (all purpose)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c low fat sour cream

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add bananas.  Beat well.  Turn off mixer and add flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix until just blended.  Add 1/4 c sour cream.  Mix for 20 seconds.

Pour batter into 4 small greased loaf pans or 1 large loaf. Bake small loaves at 350 for 30 minutes.  One large loaf bakes for around an hour.

Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Turn onto cooling rack and try to wait to eat the bread!  Just try!