Stand Out Banana Bread

I have tried so many banana bread recipes it’s not even funny. Everyone seems to be on a quest for moist banana bread, and because of this add all kinds of quirky things to get that moistness. I like a firm banana bread, moist but not wet and soupy, but not dry and crumbly. This recipe is just that. There are no funny or strange or out of place ingredients either. It’s loaded with nuts too, another feature I love about it.

This recipe makes 3 large loaves, or 4 half size loaves and one large loaf, as I made this week.

I can’t remember where I got the mini loaf pans I use for this, but they are like half loaf pans instead of the more traditional mini loaves. At any rate they work really well for this recipe.

I like that the big loaf cooked up as well as it did. With other recipes I have found a wet spot on the top of the loaf, which has a very gummy texture and completely grosses me out. This one doesn’t have that, thank goodness.

Stand Out Banana Bread

Ingredients

4 C. unbleached flour

1 1/2 C. Sugar

3 C. chopped walnuts (toasting is optional, but nice)

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

4 eggs

1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted (12 Tbsp.)

1/2 C. sour cream

1 Tbsp. vanilla

6-7 ripe bananas (enough to make 3 cups)

1 Tbsp. fresh or frozen orange zest, optional but soooo good.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour the bottoms only of your loaf pans and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients except the walnuts and stir well to distribute leavener. Add walnuts and stir again. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, bananas, orange zest, vanilla and melted butter. Mix well. You can mash the bananas before adding if you like, or use a potato masher or wooden spoon to make the mixture less chunky.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour into prepared loaf pans. Bake large loaves for 1 hour, 10 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean and there is no “wet spot” at the top of the loaf. For half size mini loaves, bake for 40 minutes or unitl a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Oven temperatures vary, so check on your bread to prevent overbaking.

Makes 3 large loaves, 6 mini loaves or any combination of large and mini loaves.

Happy eating!

S.

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