The Best Quarantine Banana Bread...Ever

I’ve read that banana bread is the ultimate quarantine comfort food. I’ve been making banana bread for years and was surprised to learn it’s now a thing. So, here’s the banana bread recipe that's been in my family....forever! I’ve changed it a bit over the years (like, you know, actually writing down directions), but it’s still my favorite banana bread for quarantine or anytime!

Banana Bread

Oven: 325F Bake: 1hr to 1h 15 mins

Makes: 8-10 slices

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed bananas (usually 3 medium)

1 cup sugar

½ cup butter or margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 egg

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 3 Tablespoons milk (any dairy milk – fat free, 2% whole milk)

½ cup nuts (walnuts or pecans) OR ½ cup raisins OR ½ cup choc chips OR a combination of all of them

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Before you start:

DO NOT OVERMIX. It’s really important not to overmix, otherwise, the banana bread will come out chewy, not in a good way.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F.

2. Grease loaf pan.

3. In a separate bowl, mash bananas. In a larger bowl, cream butter and sugar.

4. In a glass, a coffee mug or a separate bowl dissolve baking soda in milk.

5. Add mashed bananas to butter and sugar.

6. Add vanilla, cinnamon and egg. Combine.

7. Add dissolved milk/baking soda. Combine.

8. Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix ONLY until combined.

9. Add nuts, raisins or chips. Again, mix only until combined.

10. Bake at 325 for 1 hour. It may take up to 1 hour 15 minutes, just until a toothpick comes out clean.

11. Cool in pan on rack. When cool, take a knife and run it between pan and bread to loosen. Turn over to remove bread.

Variations:

These are variations that work for me. You may need to adjust based on your oven, cooking style, etc.

I cook my bread at 350F, but my ovens tend to run low and I like the top of my bread crispy.

Instead of creaming butter and sugar, then adding mashed bananas, put whole bananas, butter and sugar in same bowl, then use a pastry cutter to chop up.

I haven't tried soy, almond or oat milk, so you're on your own if you use it.

Add a tablespoon of flax meal for extra fiber and/or a teaspoon of chia seeds for protein.

Instead of 2 cups white flour, use 1 ¾ cup white flour and ¼ cup whole wheat flour.

Only have two bananas? Peel, core and chop up a small to medium apple. Skip the pastry cutter if you're using an apple.

If you use frozen bananas, place the bananas in a sieve or colander to thaw. The bananas will lose a lot of liquid and, in my experience, it may make the batter too thin.

If you're serving a crowd and need to cut even slices, cut the bread in half, then cut the half in half, and so on. Slices come out the same size!