UPDATED 2024
The riper the bananas the better the bread. I put mine in the refrigerator once they start to blacken and then make bread with them when I find the time.
---Barbara
Spiced Banana Bread
(adapted from King Arthur Baker's Companion)
Makes 10-inch large loaf (12 large slices)
2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cup very ripe mashed bananas, about 4
2 t. vanilla extract
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon, preferably Vietnamese
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 pinch ground allspice
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground cardamom
1 pinch ground coriander
1 pinch ground ginger
3 cups flour
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour a large loaf pan, 10 x 5 inches.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and oil. Blend in the mashed bananas and vanilla.
In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together (or sift) the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and the pinches of all of the additional spices. Make sure the dry ingredients are evenly mixed together.
Add all at once to the banana mixture. Mix quickly, but thoroughly. Then stir in the buttermilk, mixing until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake the bread for an hour then check with a toothpick to see how wet it is, and continue baking until a toothpick comes out clean, an additional 10-15 minutes. In total 1 hour 15 minutes, most likely.
If the bread begins to brown too quickly, tent with foil, after 40 minutes in the oven.
When the bread is done, remove from oven, cool for 15 minutes on a rack, then remove the bread from the pan, and place on the rack to finish cooling completely.
Slice and serve at room temperature, or toasted with butter.
B