Five-Star, Five-Diamond Banana Bread
For when you need quick comfort, a reminder to use what you have, or just something easy and delicious to brighten your day.
I’ve had 1,000 different thoughts on what the first recipe I’d post here would be. Dreaming up the concept of this website and blog for at least a year led to a lot of second-guessing myself and not knowing where to start. If these uncertain times we’re in right now have taught me anything so far, it’s that there’s no time like right now to put a dream into action. The important part is just starting - not necessarily where. That, and the fact that I’ve quickly found myself out of excuses for why not.
Earlier this week I had three rotten bananas, a pantry full of baking supplies and - literally - nowhere to go. I don’t consider myself an overly anxious or emotional person, but lately even asking Alexa to tell me the weather could result in a spiral, much less the constant social media stream of current events. When I feel like that, the first place I go to find comfort is the kitchen. Spending some time away from my phone and computer, making something with your hands that feeds your soul.
Hospitality is all about how you make people feel.
What is so interesting about bananas, is that they are a food that gets more concentrated in flavor and “banana-ness” the longer they ripen, and essentially, rot. You could make this bread with fresh bananas, but it wouldn’t be nearly as good. We eat a lot of bananas so I typically have to save them specifically for banana bread, but if you have the opposite problem, use your freezer!
Once bananas have turned spotted and black on your countertop, remove the skins and store them in an airtight container in the freezer until you’re ready to make banana bread. Also still great for smoothies, protein pancakes, vegan sweetener for baked goods- the list goes on. May you never throw out another “rotten” banana ever again.
This recipe is adapted from one that I used at the fine dining restaurant and inn where I completed my externship during pastry school. When most people think of banana bread, they do not think of fine dining. But to me, hospitality is all about how you make people feel. If you’re dining or staying somewhere where the bill far exceeds the food cost, that place better be meeting you where you are and delivering on comfort and experience just as much as perceived skill. And I don’t know about you, but waking up to freshly baked banana bread is my kind of five-star, five-diamond service.
Recipe notes: measurements are shown in volume and weight. This recipe is originally scaled down from a much larger batch, hence the very specific weight measurements. When at all possible, I prefer to weigh all ingredients and will adjust the recipe as needed to accommodate the number of bananas I have on hand. If using bananas that have been frozen, let them come to room temperature before starting and keep any juices that result in the recipe. This is the simple, classic version- but it can also be improved by walnuts, toasted coconut, chocolate chips or all three.
Banana Bread
Ingredients:
- 3 Overripe Bananas
- 1/2 c Soft Butter
- 1/3 c Brown Sugar
- 1/2 c White Sugar
- 1 Egg, Beaten
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 2/3 c All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Cloves
- 290g Overripe Bananas
- 117g Soft Butter
- 93g Brown Sugar
- 116g White Sugar
- 63g Egg, Beaten
- 2g Vanilla Extract
- 213g All-Purpose Flour
- 6g Baking Soda
- 2g tsp Salt
- 1g Cinnamon
- to taste Nutmeg
- to taste Cloves
Instructions:
- Cream softened butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add bananas one by one to mash.
- Add egg and vanilla, scrape sides of mixer and make sure all ingredients are evenly dispersed.
- Measure flour, baking soda, salt and spices into a separate bowl and whisk to mix together and aerate.
- Add flour mixture to the mixer all at once and mix on lowest speed, just until incorporated.
- Pour batter into a greased 9" loaf pan and bake at 350* for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
