Kitchen Tested: Best Banana Loaf Bread Recipe . . . Ever!

Okay, I just had to put "Ever!" because it is really the best banana loaf recipe I've tried!  Actually, this is just the second (haha!) time I baked a banana loaf.  But I am going to stop trying other recipes because I found the perfect one for me!   

The first recipe I've tried was moist and it had peanut butter and Nutella in it but these flavors overpowered the taste of the bananas. Sometimes, it is better to keep things simple (as much as I like peanut butter and Nutella, haha!).  So I found a simple, easy to do, easy to follow banana loaf recipe at Food.com.

I know I said "keeping things simple" and I did. . . sort of, haha!  In addition to the ingredients listed in the recipe, I just had to add semi-sweet chocolate chips and chopped pecans, cinnamon powder (because cinnamon and bananas go well together!) and around 2-3 tablespoons of greek vanilla yogurt (because I read that adding yogurt in your batter makes your cake/cupcake extra moist)!  

This banana loaf got me giddy with excitement!  It was love at first bite. . . .literally, haha!  It was moist, I can smell and taste the bananas and it has the perfect balance of sweetness. 

If you are looking for a better banana loaf recipe like me, this is it!  If you are going to bake for the first time, make this your first!  And if you are thinking of Christmas gifts, this can be it! 

I hope you will like love this banana loaf recipe as much as I did!

Happy Baking!

Below is the original recipe from Food.com.  I have put my personal notes/comments in red:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter (softened at room temperature or you can microwave your butter for 15 seconds)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten (I did not beat them together. I beat them one at a time as I mixed them in the batter)
• 4 bananas, finely crushed (I only used 3 overripe bananas - equivalent to 3 cups of mashed bananas)
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• My own addition to the list:
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 2-3 tbsp of greek vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet choco chips
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• Directions:

1. Cream together butter and sugar.

2. Add eggs and crushed bananas. (Add the yogurt and cinnamon powder too.)

3. Combine well.

4. Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture.  Add vanilla.  Add the chocolate chips, pecans then mix everything but do not overmix)

5. Pour into greased and floured loaf pan.  (Since I was using a non stick loaf pan, I didn't grease and flour it anymore).

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.  (Mine took a little bit longer). 

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Homemade Banana Cupcakes (for real!)

I am not really good at baking but I want to learn at least a few basic recipes.  We have some over ripe bananas sitting at the kitchen counter and I thought this is a good time to learn one recipe, Banana Bread!  Something I can claim to be homemade, made from scratch and not something from a box (for a change!  Haha!).  Remember the banana loaf we baked last week?

There are a lot of banana bread recipes in the Net but I think this recipe with Chocolate Chip and Walnuts which I found on the Epicurious site is the best (because it has easy to find/buy ingredients, haha!).  It also helped that there were reviews/comments written by those who tried the recipe (91% of those who tried it said they would make it again).  I've read some of the comments and have adjusted the recipe accordingly.  In case you want the original recipe, please click on this link.

I was supposed to make a banana loaf but since we have some cupcake liners at home, I thought cupcakes would be nice.

This cupcake may look simple . . .

But it was moist and just flavorful!  Whew!

I can taste the bananas, the right amount of chocolate chips and walnuts in every bite and a hint of cinnamon to bring it all together.  Definitely not from a box!  Haha!  I couldn't be any happier how the cupcakes turned out! 

If you don't bake and you want to try baking, but you don't know what to bake (and you don't have a mixer!  Haha!). . . this recipe is for you! It's Mom-Tested, Husband and Kid-approved too!

Here's the recipe (with adjustments):

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup (1stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder



Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Combine chocolate chips and walnuts in small bowl; add 1 tablespoon flour mixture and toss to coat.

Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat in flour mixture.  Add the choco chips, walnuts and cinnamon powder.

Use an ice cream scooper to put the mixture in the liners.  (I had one scoop for each cupcake)

Insert toothpick or fork in center.  If it comes out clean, your cupcakes are ready!

Baking Time: 15 mins.

Yield: 20 cupcakes 

Happy Baking! =)