Banana Bread

I didn’t grow up with banana bread, it was something I ate for the first time I came to the US. For me growing up bread was not sweet. So after I had tasted banana bread several times I thought it was my time to try to make this thing. I love bananas and I always seems to have ripe bananas around so why not. I tried many recipes, too many to count and I couldn’t seem to find anything I liked. The bread always seemed to be dry, boring, or something was always wrong, but I wasn’t going to give it up. So one day I came across this recipe and bingo. It was the best banana bread I had ever done and you can even play with the recipe a little and it still comes out delicious. Sometimes I add dates, raisins or walnuts to this recipes and it still comes out great. You give it a try and let me know if you can find a better banana bread recipes, and if you do please send it to me because I have been looking around for a long time.

Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf

Topping
3 tbsp butter
5 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or more, toasted)

Batter
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 very ripe bananas, mashed (or 1 3/4 c, the bananas have to be so ripe that they’re nearly black!)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Variations to the recipe
Add 1/2 cups of raising, walnuts or dates

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugar; mash bananas, beat egg and add to the bananas with vanilla and buttermilk; mix well and add to creamed butter and sugar; sift together flour, soda, baking powder and salt; add to banana mixture, beat well; pour into 1 greased and floured 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; bake 45 to 50 minutes (I find this bread needs over an hour) or until bread pulls away from sides of pan; add topping.

To prepare Topping: Melt butter in saucepan; add sugar and milk; cook until syrupy (like honey); remove from heat and add chopped pecans; pour over bread spreading to all the corners and place under broiler until bubbly and brown.

Watch closely (this takes around 1 minute- maybe even less!).