The Ultimate Banana Bread

Indulge in the ultimate banana bread experience with our innovative recipe that takes advantage of the natural liquid from ripe bananas. This moisture-rich ingredient not only enhances the bread’s texture but also intensifies its banana flavour. Each bite of this delicious treat is moist, tender, and bursting with the essence of ripe bananas, making it the ultimate banana bread you can’t resist.

Ultimate Banana Bread

Americas Test Kitchen

An additionalbanana sliced thin and caramelized on top of the loaf give this banana bread an enticingly crisp, crunchy top.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Afternoon Tea, Snack

Cuisine American, English

Servings 1 loaf

Equipment

• 1 loaf pan

Ingredients

  

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• 1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. table salt
• 6 large bananas very ripe (see note)
• 1 large banana ripe
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup brown sugar packed
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
• 1 cup raisins optional
• 1 cup chocolate chips optional
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar

Instructions

 

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Prep a large loaf pan.* Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.
• Place 5 bananas in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife. Microwave on high power until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer placed over medium bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes (you should have ½ to ¾ cup liquid).
• Transfer liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with potato masher until fairly smooth.

  Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla.
• Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in walnuts, raisins and/or chocolate chips if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Slice remaining banana diagonally into ¼-inch-thick slices. Shingle banana slices on top of either side of loaf, leaving 1½-inch-wide space down center to ensure even rise. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over loaf.
• Bake for 55-75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the bread rest for 15 minutes before turning out and rest for another half hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

  Freezes well.

Notes

*easily prep your loaf pan with my DIY non stick baking releaser.

Be sure to use very ripe, heavily speckled (or even black) bananas in this recipe. Uh This recipe can be made using 5 thawed frozen bananas; since they release a lot of liquid naturally, they can bypass the microwaving in step 2 and go directly into the fine-mesh strainer.

Do not use a thawed frozen banana in step 4; it will be too soft to slice. Instead, simply sprinkle the top of the loaf with sugar. The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8½ by 4½ inches; if you use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness five minutes earlier than advised in the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 80g

Keyword banana bread

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