NONNA'S CLASSIC BANANA BREAD
January 2018 | The Honest Spoon
These days everyone is slinging "basic" around like it's a dirty word. Well my friends, gird your loins because this banana bread is super basic. We're going to make basic as hell banana bread and we will come out the other side with a delicious and classic treat. Also, head's up, this is my Mom's recipe and I've been making it since the 5th grade. It hasn't failed me yet! I make everything in one bowl and prep takes about 10-15 minutes.
I tend to fall back on this recipe quite a bit. My family goes in spurts where we eat a ton of bananas. Then, the polar opposite happens and I can’t get rid of them to save my life. When I'm getting rid of extra bananas I either peel and freeze them for future shakes and smoothies, or I make a loaf, or muffins (which I freeze, in bulk, for my kids lunches). Speaking of my kids...the chocolate chips are added at their request. My Mom's original version just had the nuts and I prefer it that way. When it comes to the extra bits like nuts and chocolate follow your preference. If you like them, keep them. If not, omit them. No biggie.
If you're just trying to get rid of bananas, and not really in the mood for this RIGHT NOW, this loaf/ muffin recipe freezes well. Just wrap it up in wax paper, then wrap in plastic cling wrap, and put in a freezer zipper top bag. It freezes well, if packaged well, for up to three months. You can bake and freeze them now and take them out later for a sweet treat, last minute guest, or lunches (if you put them in your lunch frozen in the morning- they'll be defrosted by lunch). Best part is this recipe is simple and fast. Hope you enjoy it. Happy baking!
Like I mentioned above, I make this all in one bowl. First, I add the dry ingredients to the bowl & mix the together. Then, I add the wet ingredients (eggs, butter). Mix it together with a hand mixer until the ingredients come together. It will be a bit thick and that's what it should be. Don't worry!
Then, you will take your bananas and slice them on top of the cake batter. Add any nuts or chocolate pieces now. Mix well with your hand mixer. You will very quickly see this getting to a cake batter consistency. Side Note: I know a lot of recipes call for smashing the bananas but I never have. Honestly, I don't think you gain a lot by the extra step. Now, I use a hand mixer. If you are doing this by hand, it may be easier to smash the bananas. When using a mixer it does most of the work.
Lastly, you are going to prep your loaf, cake, or muffin pan. Spray the pan well with cooking spray. Personally, I like to first add an over-sized piece of parchment to my loaf or can pans. If you look at the photos, I’ve added an extra 4 inches to the size I needed for my pan. By doing this you are essentially creating "handles" to easily remove your banana bread from the pan. If you are making Muffins, line the pan with paper baking cups. Then, spray with cooking spray. YES, I spray the parchment too. TIP: if you are making muffins, you can reduce the cooking time by half. 2nd TIP: if you are using a cake pan, don't go bigger than a 8x8 cake pan.
Let’s bake!
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NONNA'S CLASSIC BANANA BREAD
INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups flour
3 very ripe bananas, sliced
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips
