Dad's Banana Bread
My dad's favorite banana bread is simple, moist, and delicious. The recipe is from my moms Betty Crocker cookbooks. With a hint of vanilla and the rich flavor of walnuts or pecans, this classic treat will quickly become a family favorite.
My dad's favorite banana bread is simple, moist, and delicious. The recipe is from my moms Betty Crocker cookbooks. With a hint of vanilla and the rich flavor of walnuts or pecans, this classic treat will quickly become a family favorite.
- Carbohydrate 42.6815577072487 g
- Cholesterol 91.2616666843927 mg
- Fat 17.4526002847051 g
- Fiber 2.31801390033483 g
- Protein 8.52938083711361 g
- Saturated Fat 5.94537428201096 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (138g)
- Sodium 5541.9969448804 mg
- Sugar 40.3635438069139 g
- Trans Fat 1.65783798667754 g
- Calories 352 calories
Step-by-step
- Adjust oven rack to lower middle position (so that top of pan will be in center of oven) and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of regular loaf pan, or grease and flour bottom and sides of nonstick 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
- If using, spread nuts on rimmed baking sheet and bake until fragrant and deep golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer nuts to cutting board to cool; chop coarsely and set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and nuts together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the bananas and beat until smooth. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and beat just until combined. Pour banana mixture onto dry ingredients and gently fold until just incorporated. The batter should be slightly lumpy.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. It should be no more than two-thirds full. Bake until the loaf is golden brown, the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Rotate the pan periodically to ensure even browning. Let the bread rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn the loaf out onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into thick slices to serve.
Stop Overmixing the Batter
Overbeating the flour is the primary error that ruins quick breads. When flour meets wet ingredients and agitation begins, gluten strands form rapidly. Dense, rubbery loaves result from excessive stirring. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry components using a rubber spatula until just incorporated. Pockets of dry flour remaining in a slightly lumpy batter indicate proper stopping points. The crumb stays tender when gluten development is strictly minimized.
Toasting and Fat Mechanics
Raw nuts contain bitter compounds that mask natural flavors. Spreading walnuts or pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toasting them until deep golden brown activates aromatic oils through Maillard reactions. Butter must be softened to room temperature before creaming with sugar. Sugar crystals physically cut microscopic air pockets into the fat during the creaming process. Baking soda reacts immediately with acidic buttermilk and ripe bananas, releasing carbon dioxide bubbles that expand inside those fat-bound pockets to lift the heavy loaf.
Baking Adjustments and Heat Distribution
Oven dynamics dictate final texture. Positioning the loaf pan on the lower-middle rack ensures the top hits the exact center of the thermal zone. Glass pans require a temperature reduction to 325 degrees Fahrenheit because glass retains and conducts heat differently than metal. Baking extends to about one and one-half hours in glass vessels. Cool the baked loaf for precisely five minutes in the pan before turning it onto a wire rack. Slicing too soon compresses the steaming interior and ruins the crumb structure.
