This is the banana bread of your dreams! The lovely banana flavor and the delicious moistness of this bread make this truly the best recipe for banana bread ever – hands down!
Banana bread and many other recipes using bananas are the best when using bananas that have ripened a bit. As a banana’s peel gets spotted with brown, then turns brown all over, the fruit inside gets sweeter and creamier. This is what makes ripened bananas ideal for breads, muffins, cakes, etc.
If you don’t have any bananas that have ripened enough for making bread, you can speed up the process by putting the bananas in a brown paper bag and putting a whole apple in with them. Fold the top of the bag over to trap the air inside and let the ripening process begin. Apples release a gas that speeds the process (the reason why you only put apples next to fruit that needs to ripen more). Leave the paper sack containing the bananas on the kitchen counter and they should be ripened enough within four – ten hours.
Once you make this bread, you’ll want to keep this recipe in your permanent files. It’s so incredible! Just smear it with a bit of butter while it’s still warm and you will be forever hooked!
Best Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients for making the Best Banana Bread:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 – 4 medium bananas, overripe
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ cup chopped dates (optional)
- ½ cup pecan pieces (optional)
Directions for making the Best Banana Bread:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a bread pan or line the bottom with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and sugar together, add the eggs and beat well. Add the bananas and beat just enough to break up the banana in chunks. Add the flour, salt, and baking soda – beat only until incorporated – don’t overbeat. Stir in the dates and/or the chopped pecans, if using.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan; let it sit for 20 minutes. Bake for 55 – 60 minutes, or until done. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan to continue cooling on a rack.
(From Get Smakelijk, 1976)
Other amazing banana recipes:
Banana cake with the best frosting ever – this is a family favorite!
Banana muffin recipe – a wow!
Banana snack cake with chocolate chips – quick and yummy
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