Flour's Famous Banana Bread
This easy recipe creates a moist and flavorful banana bread, featuring very ripe bananas, a hint of cinnamon, and crunchy walnuts. It involves carefully combining wet and dry ingredients, with a focus on proper aeration, then baking to perfection for a delightful treat.
Equipment
- 1 Loaf Pan 9x5-inch recommended
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Fine-mesh Sieve For sifting dry ingredients
- 1 Spatula For folding batter
Ingredients
Main
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup oil
- 3 1/2 bananas very ripe, mashed
- 2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
Instructions
- Set oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, creme fraiche, and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients and nuts. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Notes
1. Banana Ripeness: Ensure bananas are very ripe, almost black. This maximizes their sweetness and moisture content, crucial for a truly flavorful and moist banana bread. 2. Aeration is Key: Vigorously beating the sugar and eggs for 10 minutes creates a light, fluffy base, incorporating air that contributes to the bread's tender crumb. 3. Avoid Overmixing: Once dry ingredients are added, fold gently until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, resulting in a tough, dense loaf. 4. Doneness Test: A wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. 5. Cooling: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, preventing sogginess and making it easier to slice.