Banana Bread

In my opinion, a quick bread should be, well, quick. I don’t want to need to set up my stand mixer or commit an entire afternoon to the cause. If I was going to spend hours baking in the farmhouse kitchen, I’d probably make a Buttermilk Sponge Cake or a Bourbon Peach Pie. So, quick breads like banana bread need a recipe that is simple and requires only a pan to bake it in and a spoon and bowl to mix the batter.

This is just that sort of recipe.  It’s easy to follow and the batter comes together quickly. You’ll have the loaf ready to move to the oven by the time it comes up to temperature.  In fact, this recipe is so simple that I often make multiple loaves at once, adding different additions to each.  I’ll add frozen or fresh blueberries to one loaf, chocolate chips to another, cocoa nibs if I have them on hand, or sometimes frozen raspberries to the third given that we always have those in abundance.

We bake and eat around food allergies here at the farmhouse. Due to those allergies, our house is nut free. If you don’t have nut allergies to consider, this banana bread would be delicious with your favorite nuts added in. Simply add a cup of chopped nuts to the batter before you add it to the pan.

I have been making this banana bread for years and have only found one flaw. It’s so delicious that I am often left wishing that I had a few overripe bananas. I hope that you have a few right now so that you can bake up a bit of comfort for yourself. I’m also hoping that you’ll share with me what you added to your banana bread when you baked it. I just might come up with a few new ideas to try out.

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Banana Bread

Jennifer from 1840 Farm

This bread’s texture benefits from the use of buttermilk and cake flour. Due to food allergies, it is difficult to find cake flour at the grocery store that is safe for our family. A few years ago, I discovered that I could easily make my own cake flour substitute using All-purpose flour and cornstarch to deliver the benefits of cake flour’s lower protein content without adding allergens. This recipe incorporates that substitution.

If you would prefer to use premixed cake flour, simply use 2 full cups of cake flour instead of the All-purpose flour and cornstarch called for in the recipe. If you only have All-purpose flour on hand, it will create a delicious loaf of banana bread. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, I have included instructions for mixing milk and vinegar as a substitute. The vinegar will add acidity to the milk and it will create a good substitute for buttermilk.

Author: Jennifer from 1840 Farm

Ingredients

For each loaf:

• ½ stick (2 ounces) butter , melted
• 1 ripe or overripe banana , grated or mashed
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk (or soured milk)
• 1 cup All-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional Additions:

• 1 cup berries (fresh or frozen), chopped nuts, or chocolate chips

Instructions

Prepare the Oven and Baking Pans:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare your standard sized loaf pan (8.5 by 4.5 inches) by lining with parchment, spraying lightly with pan spray, or brushing with homemade baking pan release spread. Place the prepared pan on a baking sheet to catch any drips of batter and to make it easier to transfer the pans in and out of the oven.

Prepare the Batter:

• If you are using soured milk instead of commercial buttermilk, prepare the milk. Add one half cup of milk to a mixing cup or glass. Remove 1 Tablespoon of the milk and replace it with 1 Tablespoon of vinegar. You can use white or apple cider vinegar with equally good results. Allow the milk and vinegar mixture to rest at room temperature while you prepare the batter.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, mashed banana, sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Stir with a large spoon or spatula until the mixture is well combined. Add the buttermilk or soured milk and stir until smooth.
• In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. I like to use a dry whisk to combine the dry ingredients and break up any small lumps. You can sift them if you prefer.
• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl in one addition. Stir to combine, mixing only until smooth. Add up to one cup of your favorite addition (frozen berries, chopped nuts, or chocolate chips) and fold until well distributed Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.
• Transfer the pan to the warm oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes, rotating the pans around halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking. The loaves are finished when they have developed a light brown color and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean or with small crumbs attached.
• The baking time required for this recipe can vary due to the moisture content and size of the banana. The loaves may require a few extra minutes to bake fully depending on the size and ripeness of the banana. Loaves that contain fresh or frozen berries may need a few extra minutes.
• Remove the baked loaf from the oven and allow the loaf to cool to room temperature in the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusting with a bit of powdered sugar if desired.

Notes

This cake can be stored for several days covered at room temperature. Slices are delicious toasted and topped with a pat of butter for breakfast.

Tried this recipe?Mention @1840Farm or tag #1840FarmFood! We can’t wait to see what you make!