I have a confession to make - I don't like bananas. Well that's not entirely true, I like bananas, but only if they are barely ripe, without a single blemish or bruise on their skin or pulp, UNLESS - they are baked into banana bread. I LOVE Banana Bread!
Unfortunately, I have never been able to find a good enough banana bread recipe to meet my unattainably high standards, until now.
To me, a perfect banana bread has to be: moist and absolutely not crumbly; a little bit crunchy; and, bananay-sweet but not sugary sweet (given my strong feelings against plain mushy, bruised bananas, there's an irony there somewhere I know).
I gave up trying to make banana bread several years ago, because I was tired of being disappointed after trying out new recipes and then being stuck with a loaf of sub par banana bread. Then, the other day I noticed another recipe for banana bread on the side of a granola bag... feeling ambitious, brave and a little reckless even, I decided to delve once more into the world of baking and give it a try and I'M SO GLAD I DID!!!!
I started to feel optimistic when the warm banana-y smell started wafting through my kitchen.
Even more so when the tinger on my timer tanged and I pulled a wonderfully tall, golden loaf out of my oven... and absolutely over the moon when I cut into it.
The banana bread loaf came out perfect!!!! Moist and fruity with a crunchy top crust like I've never tried before. This first loaf was devoured by my family in no time, and I've since made it 2 more times (slipping in some healthy wheatgerm and wheatbran into the mix - evil mother that I am - mwahahahaha). It slices very well, and makes for a healthy breakfast, lunch and after school snack.
Being as I can't imagine I'm the only person in the world who has struggled to find the perfect banana bread recipe, I've decided to share my find:
(taken from the side of a bag of Rogers Hazelnut and Honey 5 Grain Granola)
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp bkg powder
1 tsp bkg soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 c mashed banana
1 1/4 cup granola
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt in one bowl, set aside.
Beat together oil, sugar and eggs, in another bowl and stir in mashed bananas, mix well.
Add dry ingredients and stir until just mixed
Gently stir in 1 c granola
Turn batter into a greased 8.5x"4.5" (1.5L) loaf pan
Top with remaining granola and press it in gently
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes
Cool 10 minutes in pan then remove to rack to cool completely.
Makes 1 loaf.
I doubled this recipe the second time I made it with no problems.
I also added about a half cup of both wheatgerm and wheat bran to the flour mixture with no problem.
YUM YUM YUM!!!!
Sounds delicious!
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