Every single coffee shop offers this. BANANA BREAD has to be one of the all time comfort loaves to accompany afternoon tea. It’s not quite a cake, not quite a bread and not really considered a conventional dessert but it’s always reliably satisfying and somewhat healthy as far as sweet things go. Make sure you use ripe bananas – it makes all the difference.
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1/3 cup of unsalted butter at room temp.
2/3 cup sugar (I use organic cane)
2 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (roughly 3)
1 tsp. or more of lemon zest
Directions:
Heat oven to 350F
Sift first 4 ingredients (flour, baking powder, soda and salt)
In separate bowl beat butter (adding a bit of the egg will make it easier to blend), add sugar a bit at a time beating after each addition. Beat in the rest of the eggs.
Slowly add flour mixture, alternately with banana beating smooth after each addition.
Turn into greased 9” x 5” X 3” loaf pan. Bake in moderate oven of 350 approx. 1 hour 10 min. or until done and toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Variations:
You can vary this recipe by using a bit less banana and adding some fruit like raspberries or blueberries.
Or; you can omit the lemon zest and add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.

Try chopped up candied ginger chopped almonds and/or some organic almond extract with the chocolate.
It freezes well and is always a good thing to have on hand for unexpected guests.
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