Did you know that February is National Banana Month? Me either. We celebrate bananas all year long. As a weekly grocery list staple, they are one of our favorite fruits!
Bananas are filled with vitamins B6 and C, potassium, and fiber and can be eaten in so many different ways: just as it comes, lined with peanut butter, cut up on yogurt, blended into ice cream flavoring, cut up on toast, and my favorite, banana bread!
Although we love bananas, some weeks, they brown a little faster than we are able to eat them. My boys will not eat them if there is “too much brown” or if the banana is “too soft”.
If your children have the same preferences, don’t throw out those “too brown” or “too soft” bananas! I have a banana bread recipe to share with you, and lucky for us, those “too brown” bananas or “too soft” bananas are perfect for this bread, so “peel” up those sleeves, and since February is banana month, let’s start baking!
Dry Ingredients
2 cups of unbleached flour (bleached flour will also work)
1 tsp of baking soda
¼ tsp of salt
Wet Ingredients
One egg
¼ cup of sugar
½ cup of avocado oil (vegetable oil will also work)
2 tbsp of milk (I use 2% milk, but use what is best for your family)
½ tsp of vanilla extract
3 mashed ripe bananas (The more brown, the better! They become more sweet as they brown.)
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Step 2: Add dry ingredients to your mixing bowl and mix together. (I prefer to use my Kitchen-aid mixer, but a handheld mixer will also work.)
Step 3: Add egg, sugar, and oil to the mixing bowl and mix the dry and first batch of wet ingredients together.
Step 4: Mash the bananas.
We prefer no banana chunks in our bread, so I put our three ripe bananas into a food processor. I blend them to the consistency of baby food. This is up to your preference for the consistency of the bananas in your bread.
Step 5: Add the milk, vanilla, and bananas to the mixing bowl and everything together.
Step 6: Grease a loaf pan. I choose to use avocado cooking spray, but regular cooking spray will work as well.
Step 7: Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and spread evenly.
Step 8: Bake for 50 minutes (or until the knife comes out clean).
You can also make this banana bread as muffins. The recipe stays the same; you just need to grease a muffin tin instead of a loaf pan.
Add-ins:
Chocolate chip banana bread- Add ½ cup of chocolate chips to the mixture and mix it before pouring into the loaf pan. Once you’ve poured the mixture into the loaf pan, sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
You can also add finely chopped walnuts to the top of your banana bread or any other nut of your choice.
Storing tips:
I have tried a couple of different ways to store my banana bread. The best way I have found is completely wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in a gallon bag. Make sure to get out as much air as possible without squishing the bread, and seal the bag. Our bread has lasted up to a week with this storage method, but let’s be honest: It usually lasts only a couple of days before it’s finished.
I hope this recipe leaves you a little hungry and inspired to turn those “too brown” and “too soft” bananas into warm and tasty banana bread! Happy Banana Month, “peel” up those sleeves and start baking!
