Basic Banana Bread

Let’s face it, banana bread has been around forever, so the variations are endless. You can make it with buttermilk, sour cream, apple sauce, flax seed, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, cinnamon and chocolate chips. You can even bake it in a skillet. It’s the Bubba Gump Shrimp of the dessert bread world.  So now that we have that out of the way, here is your basic banana bread – that is to say you probably have everything in the house right now — recipe.

Basic Banana Bread

5 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspooons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3  cups very ripe mashed bananas (around 6)

1/2 cup 2% milk

4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup butter at room temperature (2 sticks)

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 9″x5″ metal loaf pans or line with parchment paper.  In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda with a whisk. In a medium bowl stir together mashed bananas, milk and vanilla.

In a electric stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy at medium speed. Beat in eggs, one at a time. With mixer turned to low, alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until just blended.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean, between 60 and 70 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Slice and serve.

Pleasantville note: This bread freezes beautifully, so slice and wrap in individual servings. Great for lunches.