Simple Banana Bread Recipe

Overripe banana? Fret not! Baking banana bread is a perfect way to use up overripe banana at home. I mean, who wouldn't enjoy a toasty slice of banana bread serve with vanilla ice-cream or hot tea?

Since I have too much overripe banana at home, I decided to look up for a simple banana bread recipe and at last I decided to try out this recipe from FOOD. The recipe look really easy to follow and  it has great reviews as well!

I tweaked the recipe slightly cause I'm running out of baking soda and vanilla essence. I also cut down the sugar by half, but overall it's essential the same recipe. This is also a very versatile recipe, you can add chopped nuts, chocolate chips or raisins according to your taste. To make the banana bread more moist and dense you can add in more banana as well!

For the banana, usually the banana used in western recipe are the large Cavendish banana, which are lighter colour and easier to mash, giving an almost fluffy texture. But here I'm using 6 really small Rastali banana and 1 Cavendish banana to make a moist bread. Rastali banana has a stickier, almost jelly like flesh and also sweeter, stronger taste. Type of banana definitely will affect the flavour and texture of the bread but as long as they are ripe enough, most banana can be used in this recipe.

The Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 large bananas, finely crushed (for super moist bread, try 4 bananas)
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (I used baking powder cause I ran out of baking soda)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence (I used pandan essence here)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degree C

2. Lightly grease a loaf pan. Recommended size is 9x5 inch. Bigger loaf pan will make flatter banana bread.

3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Cream together butter and brown sugar in a separate bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended.

4. Mix the wet mixture to dry mixture. Stir until well blended.

5. Mix in crushed banana last to avoid over mixing. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

 

6. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes. The bread is ready when you insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf and it come out clean. Allow bread to cool in pan for 10 minuted before placing the bread out onto a wire rack.

Banana bread ready to be served! 

I just realized that the temperature was accidentally set to 165 degree C. So careless of me! The bread definitely came out moist, it could be a little bit dryer so if the heat is set to intended 175 degree C it should come out perfect! When the bread is cool enough, the crust is crispy yet the inside is moist.

This recipe is great as a base recipe! It seems to be possible to substitute the banana with steamed sweet potato, or even shredded apple for a moist apple cake. Try the recipe and leave your comment below. Would love to hear your feedback on your attempt!