Hey y'all!
So, this is my first post. I know banana bread isn't the most interesting thing to have a first post about, but you have to start somewhere right? I decided I will do a more involved about me as my next post, after I get the hang of things. As for an introduction to this blog... I don't exactly know what it will be. I'm a country girl, I love all the stereotypical southern things to love... well, maybe not Nascar. Shh. But this blog will probably be a combination of cooking, my life, and what I'm into at the moment. I know, I'm not very decisive. Forgive me!
Back to the banana bread... now, I have tried (and sometimes failed) with many different banana bread recipes until today... This bread... I don't know how else to describe it aside from heavenly. Moist, sweet but not overly sweet, and fairly easy to make! I had four mini loaves of this about an hour ago, they have slowly gone missing from the cooling rack- no one has fessed up yet. Anyway, I hope you give this a shot, let me know how it goes!
-Rebecca
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe bananas (the more ripe, the sweeter.)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 stick butter
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Okay first, let's talk bananas. Basically, the darker your bananas are, the sweeter your bread will turn out. I know women who stick their bananas in the freezer after they turn black and uses it a week later. If you're one of those people- you can cut the sugar about 1/4 a cup, unless you want your bread super sweet. I prefer my bananas to still show yellow, and generally use bananas that look similar to this. Lots of spots and black marks, they've been through a lot.
To start, pre-heat your oven to 325. Next cream together butter and sugar until it is fluffy and crumbly. If you're using a kitchen aid mixer, don't worry about softening the butter. If you're using anything else, stick the butter in the microwave to soften (not melt) the butter. Try about 15 seconds.
Now, add one egg into the mixture at a time. Make sure you mix in each egg well.
Now, the fun part. Put your three bananas in a medium sized bowl, and mash away. This is a great stress reliever. Think of something that really ticks you off.
If they look like this after you're finished, you've done well.
Now add together the remaining dry ingredient. The baking soda, baking powder, flour and salt. Toss these all in a big bowl and give it a nice stir.
After combined, mix in this, and the banana mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. You can also add the cinnamon at this point.
The mixture should be fairly smooth, and be slightly thicker than pancake mix. If it looks anything like this, you are awesome.
Now, grease your pan. I prefer Crisco, because I really believe it works the best, but you can use butter and flour, or whatever else you're used to if you choose. No biggie.
Oh, and I decided to make four smaller loaves and use this awesome pan that makes each loaf have a fancy imprint on the bottom. But you don't have to be fancy like me, I just think I'm a princess.
Fun! Now pop these suckers in the oven. I cooked mine for about 20 minutes, roughly. Just keep an eye on them, you'll smell them when they are almost done. It is half of the reason I love making any kind of bread, my whole house smells like a bakery. Use a toothpick to check if they are done, they will ideally have darker more golden edges and the center should have a nicely rounded peak. Something like this.
How cute! Now let them cool, but not all the way. I waited about ten minutes. Then just go around the edges with a fork and gently pry them out of the pan. This is a delicate process that takes practice... Seriously.
Voila!
And in case you were curious as to what the fancy bottom looks like...
Now the inside...
Yummy!
I like to eat mine with butter, but it's a personal preference.
Enjoy!
