Anyone who knows me well knows that I really, really, really hate bananas. I hate their sickly sweet, slimy mushiness mixed the the weird aftertaste of banana-i-ness. I don’t like ’em.

But I’m okay with them in banana bread.

The batter is very simple to make. This was one of the first recipes I learned to make when my aunt bought me my first electric hand mixer in third grade.

The addition of overripe bananas makes the bread sweet and moist. The browner and more inedible the banana looks, the better.

You can replace the pecans and chocolate chips with walnuts, black sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, or raisins. These tidbits make the bread hearty and wholesome. If you just can’t be bothered, you could also choose to forgo the add-ins, but you’ll end up with a naked-looking and totally inferior banana bread.

*The loaf pans need to be buttered, floured, and lined on the bottom so that the banana breads come out cleanly when they’re baked. You start by rubbing softened butter onto the inside of the loaf pan, then dusting the inside with flour. Next, trace out and cut out an outline of the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then line the bottom of the pan with this cutout. This method can be applied to most other cake recipes.

Let these bake in the oven for 40 minutes. They want a nice, golden tan for the summertime too.

Make some coffee. Have some friends over. Show them what you made. And eat. Lots.

Light but dense, soft but crunchy, sweet but nutty. More like a cake than a traditional bread.

And best of all?

None of the drawbacks of eating a real banana.

Bleh.

Easy Banana Bread

Makes 2 8-inch loaves

Ingredients 

3 overripe bananas

1/2 cup of unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup of light brown sugar

3 eggs at room temperature

1/4 cup of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

3/4 cup of crushed pecans

1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter, flour, and line 2 8-inch loaf pans*.
2. Mash the bananas in a bowl with a fork. Set aside.
3. Place the pecans in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Set aside.
4. Cream together butter and light brown sugar with an electric mixer until pale and creamy.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure the eggs are well incorporated after each addition.
6. Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix until evenly incorporated.
7. Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low until well incorporated.
8. Add the crushed pecans, mini chocolate chips, and mashed bananas. Using a silicone spatula, stir gently until evenly dispersed.
9. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. Place the pans on the same rack in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean and that the exterior of the banana breads is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
10. Run a knife along the edges of the loaf pans to release the loaves. Turn out the banana breads onto a cutting board or cooling rack.

When the banana bread is completely cooled, you can store them by transferring them into a clean plastic bag (used for produce in grocery stores) and use a twist tie to secure the opening.

~ S ~