Best Banana Bread
Bananas that are so ripe their skins have gone black work best for this. Freezing the bananas brings out their sweetness and juice. The result: a deliciously moist cake that’s almost like a pudding. I like the combo of chocolate chips and cranberries for the contrast in semi-sweet and tart taste. Feel free to add or substitute ingredients like chopped walnuts or raisins as you see fit.
1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1⁄2 cup dried cranberries
6 large very ripe bananas, frozen, thawed, peeled
1⁄2 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs
1⁄2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with butter. Dust lightly with flour.
In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and cranberries.
In medium bowl. mash 5 of the bananas; reserve remaining one. Stir in melted butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla until combined. Pour over flour mixture. Stir just until combined; do not overmix. Slice reserved banana in chunks; press on top of batter to half-submerge. Sprinkle loaf with granulated sugar.
Bake in oven 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove from pan; turn loaf so banana chunks are on top.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
