Banana bread is one of those recipes that ANYONE could make. You don’t have to have any special skills or equipment. With one bowl, a fork, and a spatula, you can have a delicious snack or breakfast bread ready in an hour.
As a young child, I have a vivid memory of my neighbor bringing over a loaf of banana bread to my grandmother's house. She would have her daughter run over the freshest bread; pretty sure it was straight out of the oven. She would have it tightly wrapped in aluminum foil to keep all the glorious smells and heat trapped in that lovely silver package.
I could hardly wait as my grandmother would painstakingly make her way to the counter with the treasure to grab the cutting board and her knife. I’m pretty sure she knew I was suffering inside because it seemed like a lifetime passed before she finally made the cuts and handed me a slice. The steam was still billowing from the top as I stuck my nose right in to give it a good whiff.
It was still so warm and the sweet smell of bananas would just radiate through the air. I can’t remember if I liked nuts back then, but it didn’t matter in the moment. I was eating this divine masterpiece. All of it. And it was amazing. And almost 30+ years later, I’m still reminiscing.
Although this isn’t the same recipe from my neighbor and there are literally 1,000s of recipes just like this, I think you will enjoy this recipe. So give it a try. Make it your own. Add nuts or berries. Add spices. Whatever suites you. Just make it! And tell me how it was.
Some food historians believe banana bread was birthed in the era of the Great Depression. Food was a precious commodity and NOTHING went to waste. So, in order to use up those over-ripe bananas that have been growing cheetah spots on the counter; these housewives took those bananas, mixed them with sugar, eggs, and flour, and what came of that was nothing short of a miraculous delicious, tasty treat! It's healthy enough for breakfast and just sweet enough for that afternoon snack.
Preheat oven to 350° F
Prepare 8"x4" non-stick loaf pan
Place chopped nuts on a shallow baking sheet at bake at 350° F for 8-10 minutes or until nuts become fragrant.
Add eggs one at a time, stirring after each.
Add vanilla extract
Add remaining ingredients (baking soda, salt, and flour)
Add in toasted nuts and mix until well combined. Don't over mix the batter.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
A few dry crumbs are okay. Streak of wet batter are not. If the outside of the loaf is browning but the center is still wet, loosely tent the loaf with aluminum foil and continue to bake until loaf is fully baked.
