There is a turning point in a relationship when you meet your significant other’s friends. As a New York transplant, my husband’s friends were very important to him and more like family. It felt like a big deal when we started making the rounds and I met everyone. It was then that Stephanie became one of my dearest friends. Stephanie was married and pregnant when we met. When it came to important life events, she was a seasoned pro. To this day, Stephanie offers the best resources, advice, and loving counsel. She is exactly what I imagine it is like to have a big sister.
Stephanie was one of the first people through the doors of Cedars Sinai when I gave birth to my son. Relief washed over me when she walked into my hospital room and sat next to my bed. Like I said, Steph was a seasoned pro and knew just what I needed. Out of all the things she could have gifted me, she pulled out the most insanely delicious banana bread. I knew at first bite that I needed the recipe. What I didn’t know in that moment was that this banana bread would become my signature treat for my kids. Since that day, it has become one of the most important recipes in our family.
My kids have grown up on this bread. It’s their top choice for “snack day” at school and is hands down the best part of their school lunch. My kids still beg for a taste of batter and can’t wait for that first slice after it has cooled from the oven. This bread is one of the most memorable flavors they will take away from a childhood spent growing up in my kitchen.
I hope your family loves this banana bread as much as our does.
Enjoy!
xx
Don’t throw out those overripe bananas! They are perfect for banana bread.
Sifting aerates the flour and removes lumps and foreign objects. Yes, you read that correctly: foreign objects.
Try using your whisk to mash the bananas. So much better than a fork which leaves behind mushy lumps.
Pro tip: your bread will crack while it bakes and form a crooked line across the top. To create a straight line, dip your bench scraper in vegetable or canola oil (about 1/2″ up blade) and sink into your batter about 1/4″.
This is the part where the kids get impatient. Oh, and check out that straight line.
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 2 very ripe bananas
- 1 egg
- 1 yolk
- ¼ lb. softened butter
- 8 oz. sour cream (small container)
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1½ cups sugar
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Prepare pan with baking spray. Don't forget the corners and don't over do it.
- Mix dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt) and sift. Set aside.
- Mash bananas with whisk in large mixing bowl.
- Blend liquid ingredients into bananas (egg, yolk, butter, sour cream, vanilla).
- Mix in sugar.
- Fold in dry ingredients. Mix until ingredients are incorporated.
- Transfer to prepared pan. Don't go more than ¾ up the side of pan as it will rise.
- OPTIONAL STEP: Lightly coat bench scraper ½" up sides in oil (flavorless like canola/vegetable oil) and sink about ¼ " into center of batter for a straight line instead of a crooked crack.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes.
*Allow bread to cool until you can comfortably touch the pan. At this point, remove bread from pan and set on cooling rack. If you leave the bread in the pan to cool completely, condensation forms in the bottom of the pan and the bread gets soggy.
*Don't toss those brown bananas! Overripe bananas are softer and sweeter. Why? Because as the banana ripens the starch in the fruit reduces and the sugar rises. This just adds more deliciousness to your banana bread.
*Banana bread freezes beautifully.