Banana Bread
Adapted from Divas Can Cook
Yields: 1 loaf of bread
Need: 1 Loaf Pan, 2 Medium Bowls, 1 Large Bowl, Hand/Stand Mixer, Whisk,
Ingredients:
3 Bananas (riper the better)
1 tsp Lemon Juice
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
8 tblsp (1 stick) Butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/3 cup White Sugar
2 Eggs (room temperature, beaten)
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Buttermilk*
*I didn't want to get a whole carton of Buttermilk, so I grabbed Sour Cream from my fridge and thinned it down to a Milkshake/Buttermilk consistency with maybe a 1/2 tsp of lemon juice and a little water. (Gauge based on consistency)
PREHEAT OVEN TO 325
Butter and sugar your loaf pan (try brown sugar!)
In a medium bowl, Mash Bananas and mix with lemon juice.
In another bowl, whisk together Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt and Cinnamon.
In a big bowl, cream the butter and Brown/White Sugars.
Beat eggs into Butter/Sugar mixture.
Fold in the Banana mixture.
Beat in Vanilla Extract and Buttermilk.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Stir gently to incorporate ingredients ONLY. (DON'T OVER-MIX! BREAD WILL BE DRY)
Pour into Loaf Pan.
Bake on center rack for 1 hour. I baked mine for 1 hour and 10 mins, but I think it could have done with 5 less minutes. Check after and hour with a toothpick through the center - it should come out clean. (Small crumbs are okay)
Brush the top with butter (or not) and let it sit in the oven for 5 minutes to cool.
Let it sit for 10 mins out of the oven and then take out of the pan and leave on cooling rack to finish.
It does taste better the second day.
When you cut into the first end/butt of the bread, save the end piece (don't eat it!). As you slice into your bread, you can use that end piece to shield the inside so it doesn't get dry after a couple days.
*Try 4 firmer bananas half-mashed (so still are lumpy)