How to Make the Best Banana Bread :: A Fast and Easy Dessert Recipe!

Homemade Banana Bread Recipe - A Fast and Easy Dessert Recipe!

Who doesn't love Homemade Banana Bread? Following this fast and easy recipe, it's so easy to make fresh banana bread that you'll never buy that powdery stuff in a box ever again!

This recipe uses all natural, fresh ingredients for a moist and delicious banana bread that knocks the socks off of any "dump-from-the-box-and-stir" product from the supermarket.

The key to making this tasty banana bread recipe is to use extra-ripe bananas - you'll need three bananas (four if they're small) whose skin is almost all brown. The longer the bananas are allowed to ripen, the sweeter and more intense the banana flavor will be in the end product.

• If you want to speed up the ripening time, you can place the bananas in a plain brown bag - this traps the natural gases that bananas give off as they ripen, and that speeds up the whole process!
• You can mash the bananas with a fork, but I find that a good Potato Masher makes quick work of it and gives a nice texture to the mashed bananas.

Ingredients

Banana Bread

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 stick Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar, firmly packed
• 2 tablespoons Honey
• 2 Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 3 Extra-ripe Bananas, mashed

Streusel Topping

• 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 stick Unsalted Butter
• 1 tablespoon Water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease and flour a 9x5 inch Loaf Pan, or use Parchment Paper to line the loaf pan, which makes it easy to de-pan the Banana Bread without turning it upside down!
3. In a Large Mixing Bowl, sift together the Flour, Salt and Baking Powder
4. In a Stand Mixer, cream together the Butter and Brown Sugar
5. Add the Eggs, Honey and Vanilla to the creamed butter and mix thoroughly
6. Add Mashed Bananas and mix to combine
7. Pour the Banana mixture into the Flour mixture and gently stir until everything is combined. Be careful not to over-stir the dough, or your finished Banana Bread will have a tough texture!
8. Turn the mixture into the prepared Loaf Pan and spread evenly. Bang the pan against the counter to release any pockets of trapped air
9. Cover with optional Streusel Topping
10. Bake in the center of the oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the Banana Bread comes out clean - there will be a small amount of moisture from the bananas on the knife, but it should otherwise be clean

For the Streusel Topping:

1. Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a Food Processor and pulse in 5 second bursts until the mixture achieves a crumb-like texture, You can add additional water a tablespoon at a time, if needed. It can take quite a lot of pulses to reach the desired crumbly texture, so be patient and keep at it!
2. When the time comes to spread the topping on your loaf/muffins, use a fork to scoop it out of the bowl - a spoon can act like a scoop and create huge chunks, but a fork will keep the mixture crumbly!

Optional Additions For The Best Banana Bread Recipe

For some added variety in your Homemade Banana Bread, try adding one these ingredients to the dough in step #7:

• 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts
• 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 cup Shredded Coconut

For Banana Bread Muffins

• Follow the recipe as above and fill the Muffin Pan cups halfway with batter, then add the optional Streusel Topping. The muffins will rise significantly while they bake, so don't over-fill the muffin pan cups!
• Bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees
  

Copyright © 2011, All Rights Reserved.