Alright, let’s get this straight. You wanna make some spiced banana bread, huh? It ain’t rocket science, I tell ya. My old grandma used to make it, and she didn’t even have one of them fancy mixers. Just good ol’ elbow grease.
First things first, you gotta get yourself some bananas. Don’t go buyin’ them pretty yellow ones. Nah, you want the ones that are lookin’ a little sad, all brown and spotty. Them’s the sweetest, you see. If they ain’t ripe enough, well, you gotta do somethin’ about it.
I heard tell of folks puttin’ ’em in a paper bag to make ’em ripen faster, but I ain’t got the patience for that. I just stick ’em in the oven. Yeah, that’s right, the oven! Heat it up to about 350, or whatever that is in Celsius… I dunno, medium-hot I guess. Then you throw them bananas right on in, just like they are. Skin and all! Leave ’em in there for, oh, maybe 15 or 20 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when they’re all black and squishy. Let ’em cool down a bit before you try to peel ’em, or you’ll burn your fingers somethin’ awful.
Once them bananas are cooled, you gotta squish ’em up. Some folks use a fork, some use a potato masher. I just use my hands. Get in there and get messy, that’s what I say. Make sure you get all them lumps out, though. Nobody wants lumpy banana bread.
Now, for the rest of the stuff. You’ll need some sugar, of course. White sugar, brown sugar, whatever you got on hand. A little bit of each is nice, I think. Then you need some eggs. Couple of eggs, three if they’re small. And some flour. All-purpose flour, that’s what the bag says. Don’t go usin’ that fancy cake flour, this ain’t no fancy cake.
- Flour: Enough to make it thick, but not too thick. You know, like pancake batter, but a little thicker.
- Sugar: Sweeten it up, but not too much. You don’t want it to taste like candy.
- Eggs: Bind it all together, make it nice and moist.
And here’s where the “spiced” part comes in. You gotta add some spices, see? Cinnamon is a must. A good spoonful or two. And nutmeg, if you got it. A little pinch of that goes a long way. Some folks like to add cloves, or allspice, or even a bit of ginger. It’s up to you, really. Just don’t go overboard, or it’ll taste like potpourri.
Then you need some oil. Or melted butter. Whatever you prefer. Just a little bit, to keep it from stickin’ to the pan. And a pinch of salt, to balance out the sweetness. And baking soda, to make it rise. Don’t forget the baking soda, or it’ll be flat as a pancake.
Mix it all together, good and proper. Don’t overmix it, though. Just until everything is combined. Then pour it into a loaf pan. Grease that pan good, or it’ll stick. I like to use them paper liners, makes it easier to get out.
Bake it in that same oven, 350 degrees, for about an hour. Or until a toothpick comes out clean. You know the drill. Let it cool in the pan for a bit, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. If you can wait that long, that is. Warm banana bread with a slab of butter is hard to resist.
And that’s all there is to it. Spiced banana bread, just like my grandma used to make. It ain’t fancy, but it’s good. And it’ll fill your belly and warm your soul. Now go on, get bakin’!
Tags: spiced banana bread, banana bread recipe, baking with bananas, easy banana bread, old fashioned recipe, moist banana bread, how to ripen bananas, baking spices, homemade bread