How to Make Awesome Banana Bread

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Banana Bread is So Simple

If you`ve put off making your own banana bread because it seems like it would be a lot of work, then hesitate no longer. It`s so easy, kids can make it . . . in fact, it`s the perfect thing to cook with little ones!

This lens will give you my favorite recipe for banana bread, one that comes out luscious and moist. But why stop there? You can make so many fun variations of banana bread! So, keep reading for some other ideas on what to do to make your bread even more exciting.

The Basic Recipe 

Once you have your basic banana bread recipe, you can enhance it with all sorts of additions. So first, lets take a look at the recipe.

Basic Banana Bread

6 bananas, mashed (this works best if they are overripe)
2 sticks margarine, melted
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
4 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350º.

Mix the margarine, sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl. Add eggs and beat until smooth.

In a smaller bowl, mix salt, flour and baking powder. Add to the margarine mixture and stir until incorporated. Dump banana mash into the batter and beat smooth. Pour into two loaf pans. I usually make smaller loaves and use the extra batter to make some muffins that my husband can take to work with him!

Bake at 350º for 45-60 min. or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.

Loaf Pans 

It`s a good idea to have some loaf pans, though you can also make your batter into muffins. I always make sure to have 2-4 loaf pans on hand so I can whip up several different types of banana bread.
Sante Cabin Kitchen Cast Iron Bread Pan

Sante Cabin Kitchen Cast Iron Bread Pan

Amazon Price: $18.99 (as of 12/25/2009)Buy Now

This simple loaf pan is just right for turning out nicely golden banana bread. You can also use it to make meatloaf, regular bread and loaf shaped cakes.

Chocolate Makes Everything Better! 

One great way to spice up your already delicious banana bread is to add chocolate, after all the two flavors just meld so beautifully. There are two ways to do this:

Chocolate Chunks
Why go with chocolate chips when you can have chunks? I usually buy a couple of plain milk chocolate bars and break them into chunks to add to my batter. Do this at the very end of mixing and just stir enough to mix them in a bit. Spread in the pans and you`re good to go! Bake as usual.

Chocolate Brownie Banana Bread
If you want all over chocolaty goodness, replace 1/2 cup of flour with cocoa and continue as usual. You`ll end up with rich chocolate flavored banana bread. Add in some chocolate chunks for sinfully delicious bread or muffins, though at this point, they practically have to be called cupcakes!

Dark Chocolate For Classy Bread 

Really want to make some awesome banana bread? Try using dark chocolate chunks instead of just milk chocolate. You`ll be amazed at how incredibly decadent the bread will seem.

This is a really good way to go if you are making banana bread as a gift or to sell!
Gourmet Dark Chocolate Cookie Chunks

Gourmet Dark Chocolate Cookie Chunks

Amazon Price: $4.29 (as of 12/25/2009)Buy Now

Dark. Chocolate. Need I say more?

Give It a Tropical Twist 

Bananas are already a tropical fruit, so it doesn`t take much to take it into the realm of exotic. You don`t even have to have access to other fresh fruit!

To make a tropical twist banana bread, just take a can of drained fruit cocktail and blend it up until it`s fairly smooth. Replace 2 bananas with one medium can of fruit cocktail for a tropical taste.

You can also incorporate exotic flavors into your banana bread by mashing a peach or adding blended, drained pineapple to the mixture. Or toss in a cup of marachino cherries to add some color and spark the taste.

Other flavors that go well with banana include:
- Mango
- Strawberry
- Pear
- Apple

Fruit Cocktail 

A canned version of fruit cocktail will give you everything you need to turn ordinary banana bread into something fantastic, bringing you the taste of the tropics.
Can Safe - Delmonte Fruit Cocktail

Can Safe - Delmonte Fruit Cocktail

Amazon Price: $15.39 (as of 12/25/2009)Buy Now

Just blend the contents of this can after draining (use the tasty juice as a drink or in another recipe) and add in place of a couple of bananas.

Let`s Get Nutty! 

Chances are you`ve had banana bread at some point in your life that had nuts in it. Again, a match made in heaven, nuts and bananas just go so well together! Let`s look at some of the ways you can turn that basic recipe into something fun and delicious.

Peanut Butter
Most people don`t think of using peanut butter, but it`s a great way to smoothly blend the flavor in and is perfect if you don`t really like crunchy bits in your soft bread (like me!). Use 1/2 cup of peanut butter in place of one banana, but melt it with the margarine so it will stir right into the mixture.

Walnuts
These nuts come in somewhere between hard and soft and are sooooo good when chopped and added to banana bread. Mix them in after you`ve put all the ingredients together, or just sprinkle the finely chopped nuts on top of your loaf before baking.

Almonds
You might not think to put almonds in the banana bread, but it`s an excellent way to add a little extra crunch. For less crunch and more flavor, just use almond slivers instead of chopped nuts.

Cashews
Another tropical addition to our recipe, cashews are tasty. You really only need about 1/2 cup chopped up to add a whole new dimension to your banana bread.

Nuts are just a nice way to change up a basic recipe and they don`t make the bread too rich. Other nuts and seeds you might consider include:

- Sunflower seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Peanuts
- Pine nuts

Nuts for Baking 

It`s important to choose fresh nuts for your baking, since rancid ones are going to ruin the entire dish. Walnuts have a lot of oil in them which can go bad quickly and can be the most difficult nut to find fresh. Your best bet is to smell or taste the ones that you are thinking of buying . . . if they have a musty or bitter taste, stay away!
Five Section Nut Basket (2.75 Pound Basket)

Five Section Nut Basket (2.75 Pound Basket)

Amazon Price: $38.95 (as of 12/25/2009)Buy Now

Here`s a handy basket to let you try a number of different kinds of nuts. Try them all in your banana breads and see which ones you like the best.

Have You Gone Bananas? 

Do you like banana bread? What do you think about the variations given here? Do you have one of your own? I love reading your comments and ideas, so keep them coming!

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by athomemomblog

I`m a Canadian expat and a work at home mom of two wonderfully curious little boys, ages 3 and 4. My interests are quite varied, so you`ll find lenses... (more)

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