This Banana Bread recipe was adapted from one of my favorite ‘go to’ chefs, Tyler Florence, for reliable and really yummy recipes. There are hundreds of recipes for banana bread out there, but this one is the moistest and best banana flavor I’ve tried.
You will get the best results if your bananas are almost black. You can also speed up this process by putting fairly ripe bananas in the freezer for a couple of days then letting them thaw out. They will be very soft and almost liquidy which is what you want.This is pure concentrated banana flavor and will be worth the effort especially if you are making more than one loaf for gifts.
My additions are the caramelized bananas on top.
The Absolute BEST Banana Bread
- May 3, 2018
- 8-10 Servings
- 1 hr 45 min
- Print this
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 overripe bananas. One perfectly ripe banana for top
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 tbsp molasses or honey
- Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Directions
- Step 1
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. Prepare a loaf pan with parchment for easy lifting out. One 24” 11” should fit into your loaf pan with the extra fold over the two long sides. Cut as needed.
- Step 2
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt
- Step 3
- set aside.
- Step 4
- Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together for a good 3-4 minutes
- Step 5
- you want a light and fluffy banana cream.
- Step 6
- Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla
- Step 7
- beat well and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Step 8
- Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated
- Step 9
- no need to overly blend.
- Step 10
- Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.Give the pan a good tap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.
- Step 11
- Slice the perfectly ripe banana lengthwise into 3 equal slices. Carefully place on top the batter and brush with the molasses or honey.
- Step 12
- Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Step 13
- Rotate the pan halfway through for even browning.
- Step 14
- There should be a nice a crack down the center of the loaf.
- Step 15
- Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes or so, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This bread is good toasted with butter or a smear of soft cream cheese and of course just as it is. YUM!
