Ultimate Banana Bread

By á-49643

Americas Test Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 c flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 large very ripe bananas, peeled
• 8 TBS unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 c packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 c chopped walnuts
• 2 tsp sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 350. Spray a 8x4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Wisk together flour, salt,and baking soda in a large bowl. Place the 5 bananas in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and cut several slits into plastic wrap. Microwave on high until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 min. Transfer bananas to fine mesh strainer placed over med bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, 15 min.(you should have 1/2 to 3/4c liquid).Transfer liquid to med saucepan and cook over med-high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 min. Remove pan from heat and stir reduced liquid into bananas. Mash with potato masher until fairly smooth. whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in walnuts if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle sugar evenly over top. Bake until tooth pick inserted in middle comes out clean, about 55-75 min. Cool in pan 15 min. Remove from pan.

NOTE: Can use frozen bananas. Then you do not have to microwave then. Just drain bananas for liquid and continue with reciepe.