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Banana Bread

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Equipment

  • 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan (your banana bread throne).

Ingredients
  

  • Wet Ingredients:
  • 6 large very ripe bananas (the spottier, the better—no judgment here.)
  • 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled (don’t skip the cooling or you’ll scramble those eggs).
  • 2 large eggs (no shells, please.)
  • 5 1/4 ounces packed light brown sugar (yes, weigh it—don’t eyeball this one.)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (the magic potion.)
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar (for that sweet, sparkly topping.)
  • Dry:
  • 8 3/4 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour (because bleached is so last season.)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda (rise, bread, rise!.)
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (for balance, like a yoga pose for your taste buds.)
  • Optional:
  • 1/2 cup walnuts (toasted and chopped (for those who like crunch in their loaf).)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat Like a Pro: Adjust your oven rack to the middle position (the VIP section) and preheat to 350°F. Spray your loaf pan with nonstick spray because nothing’s sadder than a stuck banana bread.
  • Dry First: Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. Don’t skip this—your future banana bread depends on it.
  • Banana Magic: Take 5 bananas (save the prettiest one for later) and pop them in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, stab a few steam vents like you’re a plastic-wrap ninja, and microwave on high for about 5 minutes. The goal? Soft, juicy bananas.
  • Drain the Juice: Pour those bananas into a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Let them drip for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. You should get 1/2 to 3/4 cup liquid. No cheating; this step is key.
  • Banana Juice Reduction: Transfer that precious banana liquid to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until it’s reduced to 1/4 cup. It’ll smell amazing—resist drinking it. Stir this liquid gold back into the bananas and mash until smooth with a potato masher. (Pro tip: Pretend you’re angry at something—it’s therapeutic.)
  • Mix the Wet Team: Whisk in the melted butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla until it’s a smooth, dreamy banana mixture.
  • Marry the Teams: Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined—some streaks of flour are fine. Overmixing = tough bread, and nobody wants that. If you’re using walnuts, fold them in now.
  • Prepare for the Final Touch: Scrape the batter into your prepared pan. Slice your saved banana diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices and shingle them along the top edges of the loaf, leaving a 1 1/2-inch-wide banana-free strip in the center for an even rise. Sprinkle granulated sugar over the top for a sparkly, caramelized crust.
  • Bake Like a Boss: Slide the loaf into the oven and bake for 55 to 75 minutes. Check with a toothpick—if it comes out clean, you’re golden.
  • Cool Your Jets: Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then, gently remove it from the pan and let it finish cooling on the rack. Or, if you’re like me, dive in while it’s warm (but careful, it’s hot!).

Notes

Serve warm or at room temperature. Either way, this banana bread will make you feel like a kitchen superhero. Bonus points if you share. Or not. Your call.