Today is National Banana Bread Day!

Today is National Banana Bread Day! There is almost nothing like the smell of baking banana bread, and my kids beg me to make banana bread all of the time! Unfortunately, they tend to eat all of the bananas before I can get them to ripen...

(image from www.moist-banana-bread-recipes.com)

Here is my personal favorite Banana Bread recipe, courtesy of Epicurious. I typically trade off the walnuts for pecans, however, as my kids tend to prefer the taste of pecans. Either way, it is divine. Enjoy!

Banana Bread
Gourmet August 2003

Yield: Makes 2 loaves
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes
2 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups coarsely mashed very ripe bananas (6 large)
1/4 cup crème fraîche
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/3 cups walnuts (4 ounces), toasted and chopped

Special equipment: a standing electric mixer

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 (9- by 5- by 3-inch) metal loaf pans, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Sift together 3 1/4 cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl.

Beat together eggs and sugar in bowl of electric mixer at medium-high speed until very thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when beater is lifted, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add oil in a slow stream, mixing, then mix in bananas, crème fraîche, and vanilla. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in flour mixture and walnuts gently but thoroughly.

Divide batter between loaf pans, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of oven until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Cool loaves in pans on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Turn loaves right side up and cool completely.

Cooks' note:• Banana bread keeps, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature 2 days or frozen 1 month.


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