Brown Sugar Banana Bread


Brown Sugar Banana Bread (from The Back in the Day Cookbook)

[Makes 1 9 inch loaf and two mini loaves]

  • 2 c flour
  • 3/4 c packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 t soda
  • 1/2 t fine sea salt
  • 1 t ground mace (didn’t have so I used nutmeg)
  • 1/2 t ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/4 c pecans toasted and chopped (I substituted 1/2 c mini chocolate chips)
  • 1 1/2 c well-mashed ripe banana (about 3)
  • 1/4 c sour cream (I used reduced fat)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 6 T melted butter, unsalted
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 2 T dark brown sugar for sprinkling (I only had light)

In a large bowl mix first 7 ingredients. Set aside. In a medium bowl. mix everything left except the extra brown sugar. Gently fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture. Scrape it into a lightly sprayed with Pam 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. I had enough extra batter for 2 mini loaves. Sprinkle the tops with the 2T brown sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. The mini’s took 25 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temp. Enjoy with a little butter and a cold glass of milk.

Boredom Baking: Fat Free Banana Bread


I was desperate to cook something, anything yesterday, but I didn’t feel like going to the grocery store and I had only limited items in my larder. I had two rotting bananas sitting on the counter, so I thought I’d make banana bread, but when I looked for the rest of the ingredients, I was VERY limited. I didn’t have any yogurt (to replace the butter) and I only had egg beaters; no eggs. I could have gone to the store, but why bother? I’ll be going there this weekend anyway and it’s never pleasurable shopping, so I made do. I looked for recipes in my favorite go to baking cookbook, America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book, but didn’t have half the ingredients so I went online and searched for fat-free (euphemism for tasteless) banana bread. I found hundreds of really boring, flat recipes, so I synthesized a few and came up with this one. [Note: Since I didn’t want to use butter (remember, I’ve gained weight) and I had an apple in the refrigerator, I decided to make my own (sugar-free) applesauce. I peeled the apple, cut it up, and placed it in the microwave for one and a half minutes until it was soft enough to mash. I pulverized it with an immersion blender, which successfully mashed it up to the right consistency of applesauce. This was probably more work than would have been to go to the grocery store(or even than it was worth), but I have the luxury of time.]

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 cup mashed banana
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • about 1/8 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • about 1 tbl. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray nonstick spray into one loaf pan, or two little one’s like I used. Place flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. Whisk to blend. Place bananas, apple sauce, sugar, vanilla, and eggs in a separate bowl and mix until well combined. Gradually combine the dry ingredients into the wet, until well combined. Fill the pan loaf or the two mini pan loaves with mixture. Add a sprinkling of chopped walnuts and chocolate chips to the top of loaf or loaves. Bake approximately 50-55 minutes, until browned on top. Check for doneness by testing with a toothpick.
I thought the banana bread was great, but maybe that was because I was so proud of myself for being so resourceful. Raj wasn’t impressed. You be the judge.