How to Make Fantastic Banana Bread

Banana bread is pretty standard, but this recipe will make yours the best!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 VERY RIPE (black skin!!) bananas
• 1 cup sweetened applesauce
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup milk, the greater fat content, the better!
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 8 x 8 square baking dish with butter.

2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Mix the bananas, applesauce, butter, milk, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add the eggs.

3. Fold the banana mixture into the dry mixture. Don't over mix! You'd like it to be a little lumpy, but you'd like all of the dry ingredients to be dissolved.

4. Pour the entire mixture into your pan. Sprinkle the remaining dry ingredients over the top of the mixture. Try to cover the entire top of the batter! If needed, you may sprinkle a little more dark brown sugar over the top.

5. Bake in the pre heated oven about an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the bread, at least one inch from the side, comes out with just a few crumbs attached.

6. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. The bread should be completely cool within an hour.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, the more ripe the bananas, the better. I use bananas whose skins are black.
• You may use light brown sugar for the topping, but dark brown is much more flavorful, and is a great accent to the applesauce.
• Some people use loaf pans, but I use square. I feel the bread cooks more thoroughly in a square pan.
• This is a great bread topped with vanilla ice cream!