The Best Way to Use Overripe Bananas: Banana Bread

Bananas tend to turn brown very quickly and most people don´t like eating bananas that look old, so they just throw them away. There are quite a few creative and delicious ways to use them, but without a doubt the best way is to make banana bread. 

Banana bread is extremely easy to make and it´s perfect for breakfast, dessert or just a snack. It´s usually baked in a loaf pan but it can also be made in muffin tins. To stir the batter you can use a fork or a mixer.

Only use the ripest bananas

Just about the only requirement for making banana bread is that you use ripe bananas. Once the skins start to develop freckles and the fruits are just a little too soft for pleasurable snacking, then they are perfect for banana bread. If you let your bananas ripen even longer, until the skins are brown and the fruit falls apart when you peel it, then your bread will be even more strongly banana flavoured.

The best thing about banana bread is that you can still make it even if you find yourself short on one of the other ingredients (except the baking powder). You can also get creative and play with these base ingredients to your heart’s content.

Banana bread recipe

 

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 75g butter
• 60g brown sugar
• 60g white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 225g all-purpose flour
• 15g baking powder
• 4 overripe bananas
• 50g nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Start by preheating the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and while you wait make the mixture.

2. Mash the bananas and cut the nuts in smaller pieces. You can use any kinds of nuts, but I recommend walnuts.

3. In a large bowl, cream together room temperature butter and both sugars. Stir in bananas and eggs until well blended. Then add flour and baking powder. Stir until everything is well mixed. Last stir in the nuts.

4. Lightly grease a 21×11 cm loaf pan. Cut a stripe of parchment paper and line it with the pan, letting the excess hang over the long sides. Then pour the batter into the loaf pan.

5. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into centre of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then grasping the parchment paper take the bread out of the pan.  

The best way to eat banana bread is to cut it into slices and eat it with butter or jam. Bon Appetit!