Dense Banana Bread

As you can see in my last post the Banana Fairy visited us and it's left me looking for all sorts of ways to use Bananas this week.

Decided to try this recipe for Banana bread. I like really dense, moist breads like the pumpkin loaf at Starbucks. Mmmm! I squish it into little condensed bits and eat it like that. Strange I know but to me it's better smashed. lol This recipe definitely came out moist and dense. I didn't even have to smash it! haha Delicious!

Let round II of Bananrama begin! 

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 stick butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour

1-1 1/2 cups of mix ins - chocolate chips, nuts, etc (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Mash the bananas with a fork, spoon, (or magic bullet) ;).  

Add the baking soda to the bananas, set aside (let this set for 10 or so minutes).

Add the butter and sugar to mixer, cream together.  

Add egg and vanilla, continue mixing.  

Alternate adding the banana mixture and the flour. (don't worry about over beating)  

Fold in extra ingredients like nuts, mini chocolate chips, craisins, white chocolate, or whatever your crazy heart desires.

Grease and flour pans. 

I grabbed the first pan I had available which turned out to be a square 8x8. I had a bit of batter left so I mixed chocolate chips into it and tossed it into an 8" round. The round one came out a bit thin but still very yummy. 

ADD Baker's Tip: 

Truthfully when I bake I NEVER set the timer for longer than 10 minutes. Seems ADD mom needs a reminder (even if the recipe calls for much longer) to get back in the game and start paying close attention. Once I hear my 10 minute timer I can reset it to 5 minutes or so which keeps me pretty tethered to the oven. Nothing like walking out of the kitchen for a restroom break, noticing the carpets need cleaned, and finding yourself in the basement searching for the carpet steamer (as your masterpiece bakes itself to death). The smell of your hard work burning sure can snap you out of ADD land fast (just me?)!! lol 

Once I've made something a million times with all the same tools (oven being the most important) I can get a pretty exact time down but I do the 10 minute timer with most things. Especially new recipes!

8" round baked for about 25 minutes. 

8" square one probably closer to 32 minutes (had more batter). 

 

Baking time is going to vary depending on the depth of your batter. I caught the square batch just before the top browned and I liked that one of the two better. I think it's a personal preference. In any case testing the center for a dry toothpick is always reliable!

You can also use a skinny loaf pan (13″x4″) and bake at 350^o for 40 to 45 mins per the original poster Fran. Thanks Fran, it's now one of my favorites too!