Banana Bread

BANANA BREAD

Ingredients

• 4 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 2 cups of mashed banana)
• 1 cup butter (salted or unsalted) soft, at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cup sugar (brown, white, or a combination of the two works)
• 4 eggs
• 2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp buttermilk (or 2 tbsp milk mixed with 1/2 tsp vinegar)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
• 1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling (optional) *we halved each of these extra options to suit one loaf

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C.
2. In a bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs and mix till incorporated.
4. Stir in the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl, making sure everything is combined- try not to over mix, as this will lead to a denser, tougher bread.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk and baking soda until the mixture is frothy.
6. Add the buttermilk mixture to the rest of the batter.
7. Stir in the mashed bananas, just until combined.
8. Finally, fold the chocolate chips, walnuts and cinnamon, if using, into the batter.
9. Pour the mixture into two prepared loaf pans that have been greased with butter or lined with parchment paper and sprinkle atop the cinnamon sugar if using.
10. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.