Basic Banana Bread

I am completely guilty of half following a recipe when I bake and ESPECIALLY when I cook. I guess you could call me a carefree cooker. Which is ironic because I can’t say I am that laid-back, go with the flow in my day to day life (I look up to those who are). But in the kitchen I let my hair down and embrace cool girl Lauren! In the process, it makes creating in the kitchen fun, but when I want to remake it or give the recipe to someone it becomes an infuriating situation. Cool girl Lauren makes relaying and remaking recipes nearly impossible. But this time I did it! I half followed a recipe, decided to make it again two days later (this time I even doubled it) and dare I say it came out exactly the same, possibly even better (according to my hubs).

With that said, I am here to share my recipe for Basic Banana Bread. This recipe may be the easiest recipe in my arsenal now. Every ingredient is a pantry staple. There shouldn’t be any last minute runs to the store for some random ingredient. This recipe is a cool-girl Lauren special.

This is the perfect recipe for when you have overly ripe bananas sitting on your counter because your banana obsessed toddler has suddenly decided she hates bananas. It is also an extremely easy recipe to let your littles get involved in. My littles seem to have an internal alarm that goes off when I am in the kitchen and they are immediately at my side. This is one I don’t mind letting them participate in.

To make this recipe even more incredible, it is a quick clean up! You could tackle this entire thing with one bowl, a few measuring tools, a fork and a baking spatula. To make it even easier I used disposable baking pans because I was using these as gifts for teachers and a neighbor. Next time you are at target pick up the Oven-Safe Paper Bakeware pans they have on the bakeware aisle. You will not be disappointed.

Basic Banana Bread

Prep Time: 10 mins (or less)
Cook Time: 35-55 min (depending on what you are cooking it in)
Makes one loaf or three mini loaves
- I doubled this recipe the second time and it made 3 mini loaves and 1 large round loaf (I used a bundt pan)

Ingredients

3 Over Ripe Medium Bananas (6 if you are doubling)
1 egg beaten (2 to double)
6 tablespoons of melted butter (1 1/2 sticks of butter to double)
3/4 cup of sugar (1 1/2 cups to double. Use more if you want it sweeter)
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
- (1/2 is a rough amount of run over from the teaspoon. I put extra vanilla in everything. 3 tsp to double)
1 teaspoon of baking soda (2 to double)
2 pinches of salt (4 to double)
1 1/2 cups of flour (3 to double)

Process

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare your baking dishes.
Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl with a fork. Get them until they are almost smooth but with a few lumps. The lumps leave gooey pockets in the bread when its finished.
Add the melted butter to the bananas and mix.
Then add baking soda and salt. Then sugar, vanilla and the beaten egg. Mix until all are combined.
Finally add the flour and mix it well.
Add the batter to your baking dish of choice and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

Once the banana bread is done baking, remove from the oven and let cool. Actually, don’t do that. Go ahead and slice a piece while it is still warm. You deserve it!

This Banana Bread recipe is one of the best I have ever made. The top gets a slight buttery crispness to it from the melted butter and it isn’t too sweet. It is perfect to get rid of those extra bananas laying around and even better to make for someone as a hostess gift or your friend that just had a baby (I mean who wouldn’t love warm Banana Bread after you have a baby?! The ultimate comfort food!).