Blog

I’m not a big banana eater but I looooooooooove banana bread.  It’s homey, delicious, smells amazing, and guess what?  Really versatile!  Basic banana bread is amazing, but here are some ways to jazz it up a bit!  Starting with the bananas themselves.  Old gross bananas are the key to moist delicious banana bread.  Like completely brown, mushy, peeling themselves old.  I go one step further and freeze my bananas!  Just keep a ziploc bag in the freezer to add old bananas too, and when you get a bag full it’s banana bread time!  Let your bananas thaw and you’re good to go.  (Yes they look really gross but all that water is what’s going to make your banana bread moist and yummy!)

Next tip, don’t feel like you need to make it a loaf!  I felt like muffins this time, but you could do a sheet cake with some frosting (cream cheese?  Yes!), donuts with a glaze, mini loafs to share with neighbors, or a bundt pan to make it fancy!

I also liked the muffins cause it gives you the opportunity to try out different mixins!  Let your kiddos customize with their favorites like chocolate chips, raisins, peanut butter chips, and cinnamon.  Or gourmet it up with coconut, sea salt caramel chips, pecans, and streusal!  (Some options not pictured – blueberries, chai spices, a swirl of nutella, m&ms, or any other kind of nut.  Just stir in or top and have some fun.  And don’t forget a topping!  How about some cream cheese frosting, or a simple powdered sugar glaze?

Yum yum yum!  Last tip – banana bread and muffins freeze really well, so don’t worry if you get carried away and make too much.  Just wrap in cling wrap and pop in the freezer.  Happy baking!

If you don’t already have a favorite banana bread recipe, here’s the one I used:

• 3 cups overripe bananas (about 6 medium sized)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup sour cream (or plain greek yogurt)
• 3 cups flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mash bananas and mix with sugar, eggs, vanilla, and oil.  Add in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir until just mixed.  Add any mix-ins you would like.

If making a loaf, spray 9×5 pan with cooking spray.  Makes enough for 2 loaves.  Bake for 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

If making muffins, use muffin liners or spray muffin pan with cooking spray.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until tops spring back when touched.