There are countless recipes for banana bread, and I consulted four cookbooks to come up with my own version. This one is primarily based on the recipe in The Melting Pot, but has a few variations. To be extra decadent, I added dark chocolate chips instead of walnuts–everyone knows that nuts in dessert are revolting, so use chocolate instead!
If you are low on bananas, you can substitute applesauce, and I hear that Alex has had good luck with using applesauce entirely. Banana bread is very accommodating of whole grain flour, which you can substitute for up to 50% of the flour. To be honest, I’m not sure why you add the milk and vanilla at the end, but why tempt fate by changing the steps around?
Preheat your oven to 350.
1/2 c. shortening at room temp
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. sugar
2-3 mashed bananas to make 1 c.
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sour milk, buttermilk, or yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped nuts or 3/4 c. dark chocolate chips
Beat the shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and continue beating until shiny. Add the mashed bananas and combine well. Sift together the dry ingredients and then stir them in, taking care not to overmix. Fold in the sour milk and vanilla and then fold in the nuts or chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into a greased and floured loaf pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Remove the loaf from the pan and allow to cool completely. Ideally, wrap it tightly and let it rest overnight before serving.
Pictures will be forthcoming!
I didn’t substitute the apple sauce for the banana, but rather for the some of the fat(in my recipe, vegi oil) However, presumably it’ll all turn out tasty.
I stand corrected, then. With this much fat, sugar, and vanilla, I can’t imagine it being bad, apple sauce or no.