Favorite Banana Bread

When I first got married, I didn't have a ton of tried and true recipes in my repertoire. Fortunately, I did enjoy reading cookbooks and married a man who's mother was willing to help me build my collection. She bought me The Junior League Centennial Cookbook around the time we got married. It has some wonderful recipes for nearly anything you might want to make. The one I have used repeatedly over the years is called Favorite Banana Bread. I have adjusted it to make muffins and mini-loaves. Lately, I have taken to making mini loaves and keeping the extra in the freezer. Aaron, my oldest, LOVES banana bread and often asks to take some to school for his morning snack. Between him and my Husband, I barely keep up with the requests for more.


Favorite Banana Bread
Source: The Junior League Centennial Cookbook

Ingredients

3 ripe or overripe bananas, mashed
1 cup sugar
1 egg
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour an 8-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, sugar, egg, melted butter and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly mixed. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir the flour mixutre into the banana mixture until just blended. Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until a wooden toothpick instered near the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.

To prepare muffins, heat oven to 375 degrees and cook for approximately 27 minutes.

To make three 6-inch mini loaves, heat oven to 375 degrees and cook for approximately 32 minutes.