Banana Bread
What is it about banana bread that makes it so darn delicious. It is one of the few pastries/ desserts that I can't ever pass on. A warm piece of freshly baked banana bread is pretty hard to beat.
Here is my favorite recipe. It is inspired by the recipe I created when I was still in the Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen. We tested so many different variations of banana bread and this one was the winner. The brown sugar and the sour cream make it one outstanding recipe.
SInce bananas for banana bread need to be really ripe for this recipe, I like to let my bananas ripen on the counter top and then right before they are about to go bad, I through them in the freezer. After a while you will have more than enough bananas for banana bread.
Enjoy!
Banana Bread
Inspired by this banana bread recipe I developed when I used to work in the Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 stick (8Tbs.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or your favorite add-ins)
Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing about 2" of parchment paper to hang off the edges.
In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl stir together the bananas, sour cream and vanilla.
In the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 2 - 3 minutes. Add the eggs in one at a time until completely blended.
Reduce the speed to low and add the sour cream banana mixture in and mix until just barely combined. Add the flour mixture and continue mixing until just barely combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips, or your favorite add-ins and pour into the prepared container. Bake for about 55 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool for about 20 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.