Best Banana Bread

Even though I don't bake very often, this is BY FAR the recipe that friends and family ask me for the most. It makes a delicious dark banana bread when you use very overripe bananas or bananas thawed from the freezer, or a lighter tasting golden coloured banana bread if you use bananas that are just spotting and browning. Either way this is the perfect banana bread to take along to Aunt Margaret's for Tea, to baby showers and wedding showers, as a Thank You for someone special or just to enjoy at home with your morning coffee. I am one of those people who like bananas before they start to spot so I toss my bananas in the freezer as soon as they start to brown. You can pretty much count on me always having bananas in my freezer! My favourite is the dark rich banana bread so I almost always make it this way but you can also use the ripe bananas off your counter, or sometimes you can find the old bananas for a bargain at the grocery store. This recipe works great as a loaf or muffins, either way you can't go wrong!

INGREDIENTS

3 or 4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup very soft butter
1 cup sugar (can be reduced to 1/2 cup)
1 egg at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of flour

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease 9"x5" loaf pan or use a muffin tin
2. Mix butter and sugar until blended and creamy
3. Add sugar, egg, vanilla and mashed bananas and mix well
4. Mix dry ingredients (baking soda, salt and flour) in a separate bowl
5. Combine dry ingredients with the banana mixture and mix until dry ingredients are wet, don't over mix
6. Pour batter into loaf pan or muffin pan
7. Bake loaf for 60 minutes/muffins for 30 minutes and test for doneness. Banana bread is ready when toothpick inserted comes out clean
8. Let banana bread sit for 5 minutes then turn onto wire rack to cool

* Banana bread can be a recipe that is difficult to execute well. Since bananas come in all different sizes it can be tricky to get the right moisture consistency. You are looking for batter that is not runny and not stiff. If your batter is too runny add a bit more flour, if it's too dry add a few tablespoons of milk.

** if you are using previously frozen bananas thaw in advance and make sure they are at room temperature before mixing

Makes one loaf or 12 muffins