Today I want to share a recipe that I found in the late 1970's in the cooking magazine Bon Appetite'. At first I was not going to cut this recipe out because it called for such a small amount of buttermilk, but than I decided to save it anyway. Boy, I'm ever so glad that I did, this has turned out to be one of my most requested recipes of all time. Everyone that taste this bread, always request the recipe! Now I did not name this recipe, that is the original name that Bon Appetite' gave to it, and it is very fitting for this! So let's get started!
First I want to show you a picture of the banana's that I use, it is very important to use banana's with a nice yellow color and some of those brown spots on them. These are the one's that will give your bread a wonderful banana flavor without having to use that icky fake banana flavor extract! Most people would throw these out but don't they make the best bread, muffins and cake too.
I mash my banana's up with my hand held mixer, makes it very easy and fast too and I think it spreads the flavor around in your bread more.
See, here is how it looks after the banana's are all mashed.
Next I add all of my wet ingredients; eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix it all up real good.
Than I add the sugar and incorporate it good too.
Now add your dry ingredients; flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix well again.
Now add your nuts. If you don't like nuts leave them out, it still taste just as great!
Now pour your mixture into a greased loaf pan, 9" x 5". Bake for one hour and 20 minutes, at 325 degrees. Oh your house will smell wonderful too!
After it is done baking, remove from oven and let cool, turn out of the pan. Now get the butter out and spread some on your bread...hmmmm!
My husband and daughter's just LOVE this bread. One year for Christmas I made 12 loaves of this to give to neighbors, work and to freeze. Oh, by the way, this does freeze very well too!
I hope you give this recipe a try and sit back and wait for the compliments to come your way!
Best-Ever Banana Bread
2 ripe medium bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts, or your favorite
1/2 cup vegetable oil, I use Crisco
1/4 cup PLUS 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour one 9" x 5" loaf pan. Combine all ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake until top is golden brown and splits slightly, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Serve warm.
DO NOT DOUBLE.
DO NOT DOUBLE.
I don't know why you shouldn't double the recipe but I never have, I don't want to mess up a good recipe!
