Best Ever Banana Bread

I really did have good intentions when I bought a bushel of six bananas last week. I did. I planned banana breakfast smoothies, bananas in lunches… There was so much potassium in our future.

We didn’t eat a single banana. Not even one.

Bananas are the most frequently purchased fruit in the USA, so I’m certain I’m not the only person out there turning my past-prime bananas into a quick bread today. A byproduct of the Great Depression, banana bread recipes began appearing in cook books in the 1930’s, but only really became popular with the American public in the 1960’s. Simple, sweet and economical – it’s easy to understand banana bread’s staying power.

This recipe calls for some slight variations on the old standards. Typically, you only need two or three bananas to make banana bread, but since I had six, I decided to use all six. Rather than making two individual loafs, I used a 10″ bundt cake pan to accommodate all of the batter at once. Additionally, I added baking powder AND cornstarch to make this usually dense bread light and fluffy. I loved it, but if the density is what you like about banana bread, omit 1/4 cup flour, cornstarch, baking powder and granulated sugar. Finally, for a warmer fall flavor, I made a quick spice blend inspired by chai tea, but if that sounds like too much, just use cinnamon!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 pinch allspice
• 1 pinch ginger
• 1 pinch cloves
• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup room temperature butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 6 mashed overripe bananas

TO MAKE

• Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease pan.
• In a small dish, combine cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, spice mix, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar.
• In the bowl of a mixer, cream butter and brown sugar.
• Add egg and mashed banana to butter combination, mix until well blended.
• Add flour mixture to egg mixture, stir until just combined.
• Transfer batter to greased pan, bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow bread to cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Bread can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week, or stored in the freezer for half a year.

Pictures and recipe are my own.