Banana Bread Recipe

Here is a fantastic banana bread recipe which I originally found a few years back on a Nevis forum. It is absolutely delicious!


• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons light cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe banana (I use a bit more)
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 tablespoons dark rum (I use a bit more)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (use a good quality one such as Nielsen Massey)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut

Side note – I use 1 1/2 times the portions of the remainder below which is the glaze since some of it can drizzle off the loaf
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons dark rum
• 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted
• 2 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Coat an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Place 2 tablespoons softened butter and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add egg; beat well.
3. Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk. Combine banana and next 5 ingredients (through vanilla); stir well. Add flour mixture and banana mixture alternately with butter mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup pecans and 1/4 cup coconut.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake at 375° for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Let cool slightly on a wire rack.
5. Combine brown sugar and 2 teaspoons each butter, lime juice, and rum in a saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cook 1 minute; stir constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons each pecans and coconut; spoon over loaf.

Roxanne

Whoa, looks wonderful!! Looks like something I should try, as I love banana bread!!

I have also made a recipe from Emeril several times and liked it a lot. Will look it up later and post a link.

That sounds really good!
I have always used a recipe from an OLD Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook, copyright 1961...
(and, yes I almost doubled the banana content) and they come out really moist and dense...

It's wonderful, but I like the use of the sour cream & coconut & dark rum in this recipe...

BTW, the newer BH&G Cookbooks have a revised recipe from their original that is just way too "cakey" for me...
I also use really old bananas...
completely black skins, just before they start to mold over, really sweet and a strong banana flavor...

I'll definitely give this recipe a try! Thanks for posting...

Best way to eat banana bread? with a schmear of cream cheese...
Never tried a glaze for BB before, so I'll try that also <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />...

Yes, definitely, any recipe for banana bread should start out with basically rotten bananas! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" />

One thing good about this recipe is it has low fat ingredients! On my to make list! Thanks Anon.

I agree - you definitely need to use really, really ripe bananas.
I would love to see more banana bread recipes
Thought I should mention that the glaze is put on the whole loaf just before you slice.
I too like that the recipe includes low fat ingredients - I am sure it will taste even better with whole fat which I haven't tried as of yet

Roxanne

Emeril's recipe is here . I have made it several times and really enjoyed it. Not particularly low fat though, with all the butter!!!!

The fat content doesn't really bother me - what I worry about is if I will eat the whole loaf!!
The ratings/reviews for Emeril's recipe are all great!
Thank you - this one is a keeper!

Roxanne

Haven't made it myself for a while. Think maybe I should rectify that! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" /> You could always make the mini loaves and freeze some of them, to prevent total pig out! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> I have made two (large) loaves and frozen one before and it froze beautifully.

simple and delicious every time.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/banana-banana-bread/

like carol, i will freeze my leftovers (if there are any) and it freezes fine. i don't keep it in the freezer for more than a month.

Would any of these work in a bread machine?

I have lots of gadgets but not a bread machine, so I'm unfamiliar with modifying recipes when using one (if you even have to). For curiousity's sake, I checked allrecipes and found this recipe for making banana bread in a machine:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/banana-bread---quick-bread-for-machines/

Ingredients are kind of similar to the recipe I posted before with some modifications. Decent reviews.

Thanks!

We bought the most wonderful banana bread in the Grenadines (Tobago Cays) from a boat vendor. If I could make bread half that good, I could sell it for sure!

Twanger---you should know that EVERYTHING tastes better down island and nothing tastes half as good at boring old home! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

I made Giada's Blueberry Banana Bread Recipe a couple of weeks before our recent trip to the islands. Thawed it the day before and packed in the checked luggage. Ate half of it there - delicious! Ate the other half after we got home, even more delicious due to it's trip to the islands! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Ooh, that looks killer!!

[color:"blue"]Banana Bread[/color]
Ingredients
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups mashed banana (5 medium)
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup shortening (melted)
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 recipe Streusel-Nut Topping (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3-inch or two 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, banana, sugar, and shortening. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). If desired, sprinkle Streusel Topping over batter.
3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes for 9x5x3-inch pan or 40 to 45 minutes for 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning). Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.
4. Makes 1 loaf (16 slices).

Streusel-Nut Topping
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
1. In a small bowl combine brown sugar and flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts.

Made Giadas blueberry banana bread yesterday and it is only so so. To me, MHO, is the perfect banana bread recipe is just like Brians. The blueberries did nothing for the banana flavor. Personally, I never like any of Giadas recipes, I think she is way over rated as a chef.

Oh, OK. Didn't try that recipe. I do love the recipe that I posted though, which is Emeril's...

I like pineapple and walnuts in my banana bread, and waiting for some bananas to turn black enough to try this recipe out. I like that it only makes 1 loaf. The only time I buy bananas any more is to make banana bread. If I have any bananas left, I will flambé with rum and serve with some vanilla ice cream.

Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread


Yield: Makes 1 loaf


Ingredients:


1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cups vegetable oil

1 cup mashed ripe banana (from 2 bananas)

1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 cup chopped walnuts


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a loaf pan with baking spray, or lightly butter and dust with flour. I also recommend putting a strip of parchment paper in the loaf pan to make for easy removal.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a separate medium bowl, combine eggs, vanilla, vegetable oil, banana and pineapple; mix well. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, stirring just until batter is moistened. Stir in chopped nuts. Pour into loaf pan.

Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Enjoy!

Ooh, that sounds good! I would love it, but Eric doesn't like canned pineapple... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" />

I surely think fresh pineapple would work. And that sounds like a better option because with the extra pineapple I can find lots of things to do with that. The other thing I might change out is vegetable oil, melt coconut oil instead and use that.

We can get fresh pineapple all the time around here from fruit stands. I might definitely try that, as the combination does sound good!

Mine is from an old Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook (1965? or so)...
The new ones (post 1980) have a different recipe that is a LOT dryer...
This one is very dense and moist...

For years I've been making this Betty Crocker recipe, it is very moist and dense. I think the buttermilk has a lot to do with the moistness. Sometimes I through in a handful of chocolate chips or blueberries. I always bake in 2 tin loaf pans on the bottom rack of the oven. The large loaf never seems to cook right.

Betty Crocker Banana Bread

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms only of 2 loaf pans, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 inches, or 1 loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches.
Mix sugar and butter in large bowl. Stir in eggs until well blended. Add bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pans.
Bake 8-inch loaves about 1 hour, 9-inch loaf about 1 1/4 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.
Makes 2 loaves (12 slices each)

My bananas were not quite brown or black when I wanted to make banana bread Saturday morning, so I put them in the freezer Friday night. That was the trick, took them out first thing Saturday morning and they were mushy as could be once they thawed out a bit. If that isn't a trick to good banana bread, I don't know what is. The Hawaiian Banana / Pineapple / Walnut bread was a yummy treat, but I will also try the chocolate chip banana bread next. That reminds me, anyone tried the banana chocolate chip cake at Lee's of late. That is really good.

I can never seem to finish the bunch whenever I buy it, so my freezer always has a supply of frozen bananas. I freeze them in the peel. Love that they freeze so well. Good for banana bread standby.

I saw this recipe on Pinterest the other day, probably not real good for you, but it sounds really good. I think it would be great with cinnamon graham crackers.

Banana Bread Dip

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

All the yummy flavors of banana bread whipped into a creamy dip. Serve with apple slices, graham crackers, nilla wafers or roll them in tortilla and cut into pinwheels. Try this also spread on toast, bagels and english muffins!

Ingredients

8 ounce cream cheese, regular or light
1 cup banana quick bread mix
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon finely chopped walnuts, optional

Instructions

Place all the ingredients except nuts in a large bowl.
Using an electric mixer, beat until creamy.
Stir in nuts.
Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

I like that Colleen <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />!