We all have different tastes. There’s bound to be things I love to eat that you don’t like. However, I’ve never come across someone that hates banana bread. It’s sweet enough to appeal to a younger crowd, yet hearty enough to appeal to older folks. I don’t think there’s anything better than a slice of banana bread to accompany my mug of coffee in the afternoon. Additionally, it’s a great way to use up  overripe, black-spotted bananas. Here’s my take on a recipe inspired from Chef John of Food Wishes.

Ingredients –

3 Ripe Bananas

1 cup White Sugar

½ cup Fat (Butter or Vegetable Oil)

2 Eggs

¼ tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Baking Powder

Pinch of Cinnamon

2 cups All Purpose Flour

1/3 cup Chocolate Chips

1 cup of Chopped Walnuts/Pecans

1 tbsp. milk

• Peel your bananas and place them in a bowl. Using a fork, mash your bananas until they turn into a paste. You can pulse your bananas in a blender or food processor instead, but why would you want to wash those appliances?
• Add your fat and sugar to the mashed bananas. Mix well until combined. If you’re using butter, make sure it’s softened. I personally like to use ¼ cup of butter and ¼ of vegetable oil. While butter gives you good flavor, oil helps keep your banana bread moist. Feel free to entirely use one or the other.
• Crack your eggs into the banana mixture and add the vanilla as well. The vanilla extract is optional, but I think it gives a better flavor. Stir all of these liquid ingredients.
• Add the salt, baking soda and baking powder to the banana mixture. Make sure to sift the baking soda and baking powder to avoid lumps. You definitely don’t want to bite into that. You can also add a pinch of cinnamon to the batter. It can help bring out the flavor of the bananas.
• Next, add your first cup of flour. Stir it in and then add your next cup of flour. Stir that in as well. It’s a lot easier to mix in flour in smaller quantities. You can choose to sift in your flour, but it isn’t required. More power to you if you choose to. On a side note, ensure that you don’t overmix the flour. It’ll make your banana bread really tough. In addition, if your batter seems really thick, add that tablespoon of milk to thin it out. The consistency of the batter should be like a thick paste.
• Before we pop our banana bread in the oven, you can add chocolate chips or chopped nuts to your batter. It’ll elevate your dish to the next level as it adds texture and flavor.
• Grease a loaf pan with butter or cooking spray and pour your batter in. Put your pan in a preheated 325º F (165º C)oven for roughly 1 hour and 10 minutes. Start checking whether your banana bread is done at the 1 hour mark. Insert a toothpick in the center to see if it comes out clean. The center portion will take the longest to cook and I often have to bake it for longer than 1 hour and 10 minutes. It really depends on your oven.
• Run your knife through the edges of the banana bread to help unmold it and let it rest on a cooling rack for a few minutes. Slice it while warm and enjoy with a mug of coffee!

Banana bread is interesting because it doesn’t quite taste like bread. I speculate that it’s called banana bread because it’s baked in the shape of a loaf. It really tastes more like a cake or a muffin. Regardless of the name, I can guarantee that baking the humble banana bread for your friends or loved ones can put a smile on all of their faces.