Banana Bread

Everyone has a recipe for banana bread, and I think everyone’s recipe for banana bread is probably pretty great. It’s been passed down from Grandma to Mom to you, and it reminds you of your childhood, of getting to pretend that something that is obviously a dessert is really just a “bread.” Many banana bread recipes are just about the taste of the bananas, not incorporating any spices at all. But I’ve found that the right balance of spices, rather than overpowering the bananas, adds a different depth and dimension to their flavor.

This recipe uses this magical banana-bolstering blend of spices, as well as some whole wheat flour, which results in a more moist, tender loaf. So, if you don’t have your own banana bread recipe, or if you’re looking to try a new one, this is for you!

Spices used in this recipe


Cinnamon, Ground
Cloves, Ground
Nutmeg, Ground
Salt, Kosher
Vanilla Extract

Ingredients

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a loaf pan or spray it with cooking spray, and line it with parchment paper.
  2. Slice one banana in half lengthwise, and reserve one of those halves for topping the loaf. Mash the rest of the bananas very well in a bowl with a whisk or fork.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until evenly combined.
  4. Combine the oil, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, and buttermilk or yogurt in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the mashed banana until well combined.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not over stir, or you will have a tough banana bread, but make sure there are no pockets of flour at the bottom of your bowl!
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a silicone spatula. Place the reserved banana half on top of the loaf and sprinkle the entire top with cane sugar or granulated sugar.
  7. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, and then carefully remove it from the pan and let it cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

Makes one loaf.

 

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