Ultimate Banana Bread Recipe

This recipe for Ultimate Banana Bread fascinated me, as it calls for six bananas in the recipe.  Also the bananas are heated, juiced, and the juice reduced!  I had never heard of this technique before, so I just had to give it a try.

Read my additional comments at the end of the recipe on making this banana bread.

 

Ultimate Banana Bread

 

Check out Linda’s Bread Making Hints:  Secrets to using the bread machineAbout yeast in bread making, Sourdough Starter, and Quick Breads.

 

Ultimate Banana Bread Recipe:
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Ultimate Banana Bread Recipe
Servings: 1 loaf
Ingredients
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt (fine salt not coarse)
  • 6 large (about 2 1/4 pounds) very ripe bananas (preferably overripe)*
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar (to top the unbaked loaf)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Adjust oven rack to lower middle position.  Spray one (1) 9x5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

  3. Place five (5) peeled bananas in a microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in the plastic wrap with a paring knife.  Microwave on high power until the bananas are soft and have released liquid, approximately 5 minutes.

  4. Remove from microwave and transfer the bananas to a fine-mesh strainer placed over a medium-size bowl.  Allow to drain, stirring occasionally, for 15 minute.  You should have 1/2 to 3/4 cup liquid after straining.  NOTE: I had a total 1 cup of banana liquid after straining.  Set aside the remaining banana mixture in the strainer.

  5. Transfer the banana liquid to a medium-size saucepan over medium heat.  Let simmer until the banana liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, approximately 5 minutes.  NOTE: Since I had 1 cup of banana liquid to reduce, it took me 15 minutes to reduce the liquid to 1/4 cup. 

  6. Remove pan from heat and and stir the reduced banana liquid into the set aside banana mixture; mash with a potato masher until fairly smooth.  NOTE:  I put the banana mixture into my blender for a few seconds.  Whisk in the melted butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.

  7. Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining.  Gently fold in the walnuts or pecans.

  8. Pour the batter into the prepared bread pan.  Slice the remaining peeled banana diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices.  Shingle the banana sliced on top of both sides of the loaf, leaving 1 1/2-inc-wide space down the center to ensure even rising.  Sprinkle the 2 teaspoon sugar evenly over the top of the loaf.

  9. Bake 50 to to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  NOTE: Be sure and poke the toothpick already to the center of the loaf.   A good check is to use an instant digital thermometer to test your bread.  The internal temperature of the bread should be at 200 degrees F. when done.

  10. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan.  Cool completely before slicing.

  11. Makes one (1) loaf.

Recipe Notes

* To ripen bananas, allow green or yellow bananas to ripen at room temperature until the skin is covered with brown spots.  Do not even think of making banana bread with anything less than very ripe, heavily speckled fruit - unless you are fine with a bland loaf.

 

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Linda’s Comments:

While the banana bread was good, I didn’t think it was any better than other banana bread recipes that I have on my web site.  The texture was more like a cake than bread.  I, personally, would increase the amount of nuts to 1 cup.  This bread is more labor intensive because of making juice with the bananas.  The banana slices on top of the loaf looked pretty before cutting the bread, but dropped off when cutting the bread into slices.  Would I make this recipe again?  Maybe as it made an interesting experiment with my husband eagerly waiting the tasting results.  But – maybe not!


 

Additional Banana Bread Recipes:

Banana Nut Bread
There is a saying about lemons; “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”  Well maybe there should be one for bananas as well – when life gives you overripe bananas, make banana bread!  At least that is what I do.

Banana Oatmeal Yogurt Bread
I combined a couple of my Banana Bread recipes to create this delicious and healthy loaf of banana bread.  The use of yogurt in the recipe allows you to cut back on butter.  This bread is slightly heavier and denser than other banana breads.  Great for breakfast!

Banana Pineapple Bread
This is a very moist and delicious tropical tasting banana bread.  Very easy-to-make for your family.  I made this bread a week ago and it was still moist and tasty.

Banana Pistachio Yogurt Bread
This Banana Pistachio Yogurt Bread is very moist and very delicious.  I love pistachios, so I though why not make bread using them.  This bread is as addictive as eating pistachios!  The use of yogurt in the recipe allows you to cut back on butter or oil in your diet.

Banana Yogurt Bread
This is a very moist and delicious banana bread.  The use of yogurt in the recipe allows you to cut back on butter.  Very easy-to-make for your family.

Blueberry Pecan Banana Bread
Whether you enjoy a slice as a snack or for breakfast, this Blueberry Pecan Banana Bread is so flavorful, you will not need any butter.

Raspberry Chocolate Banana Bread
This is a family banana bread recipe that I modified reducing the amount of butter with a substitution of non-fat Greek yogurt.  I also added the fresh raspberries and chocolate chips for an amazing flavor combination.  It is very easy to make and so ridiculously delicious!

Sourdough Banana Bread
I slightly adapted this delicious Sourdough Banana Bread from the outstanding cookbook, The Complete Sourdough Cookbook by Don and Myrtle Holm.  I am always looking for new ideas and recipes for using my Sourdough Starter.  This quick bread recipe is perfect as the bread is so moist with the sweet taste of bananas, and so easy to make.

Sourdough Banana Zucchini Bread
I adapted my Sourdough Banana Bread recipe and added shredded zucchini squash to the recipe.  This bread recipe is perfect as the bread is so so easy to make and so delicious!

 

 

Source:  I very slightly adapted a few instructions in the recipe from the Cooks Illustrated Magazine, America’s Test Kitchen, Season 11.

Categories:

Bananas    Breakfast Breads    Quick Bread   

Comments and Reviews

7 Responses to “Ultimate Banana Bread Recipe”

  1. One eye jack

    This recipe is not good banana nut bread. At best it’s cake… Sloppy cake at that. Do your self a favor and find a better one, anywhere. If you are reading this after you realized the mess in the pan is not what you wanted, cover it with foil and put it back in the oven for ten to fifteen min’s or until the thermometer probe comes out clean. Two thumbs way way way down!

    Reply
    • Linda Stradley

      At the bottom of the recipe, you will see my comments on this recipe – remember to always read the entire recipe before making.

      Linda’s Comments:
      While the banana bread was good, I didn’t think it was any better than other banana bread recipes that I have on my web site.  The texture was more like a cake than bread.  I, personally, would increase the amount of nuts to 1 cup.  This bread is more labor intensive because of making juice with the bananas.  The banana slices on top of the loaf looked pretty before cutting the bread, but dropped off when cutting the bread into slices.  Would I make this recipe again?  Maybe as it made an interesting experiment with my husband eagerly waiting the tasting results.  But – maybe not!

      Reply
  2. Michelle

    I’m tellin’ ya’ll that this is the BEST BANANA BREAD EVER! Mine turned out perfect, with internal temp of 205, and texture of bread, not cake. The concept of concentrating the sugars in the juice from the bananas is genius. I did use the blender, as suggested. I changed up the order a bit – I put the cold butter and sugar in the pan with the reduced juice after I turned off the heat, til the butter melted and the sugar dissolved, then I added it back to the banana-meat in the blender, then I added eggs and vanilla, then added the contents of the blender to the flour mixture and stirred just til moist. Muy Bueno!

    Reply
  3. Loey

    I am making this recipe right now. It is in the oven as I type this. It is indeed labor intensive…but I am waiting to see if it is worth instead of my Gramma’s recipe. I will let yinz know!

    Reply
  4. Loey

    Well, this recipe was very intriguing to me. I followed the recipe to the letter. Sadly, it was is very dry. I think I will be sticking with my old tried and true recipe.

    Reply
  5. Sherilyn

    We love this banana bread and have made it so many times since I bought the cookbook. I always put in 1 cup nuts, because 1/2 cup is never enough! The printed recipe is on the counter now – I’m going to made muffins this time! YUM!

    Reply
  6. John

    I made some adjustments to this recipe, and it has become THE family favorite. 1) I add 3 tablespoons of Myers run to the banana juice before boiling it down to 1/4 cup. 2) I add 1/2 tsp. cardamom, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, and 1 tsp. ground coriander to the dry ingredients. 3) To the melted butter, sugar, and eggs, etc., I add 1/2 tsp. almond extract and the zest from an orange and a lime. And finally, 4) along with a full 1 cup walnuts, I fold into the batter (depending on my mood) between 1/2 cup and a full cup of finely diced candied ginger. So sure, I’ve massively adulterated the recipe. But … it’s just SO good!

    Reply

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