Banana Bread

Instructions

Ultimate Banana Bread

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with vegetable spray.
• 2. If using, toast ½ cup walnuts in small skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.
• 3. Add 8 tablespoons unsalted butter to now-empty pan and heat over medium heat until melted. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.
• 4. Whisk 1¾ cups (8¾ ounces) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Set aside.
• 5. Peel 5 large, very ripe bananas and place in separate microwave-safe bowl. Cover with microwave-safe plate and microwave until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes.
• 6. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer set over bowl and let drain, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes (you should have ½ to ¾ cup liquid).
• 7. Transfer drained liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
• 8. Transfer drained bananas to medium mixing bowl. Add reduced liquid and mash with potato masher until mostly smooth.
• 9. Whisk in melted butter, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup packed (5 ¼ ounces) light brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• 10. Pour banana mixture into dry ingredients. Stir until just combined; some streaks of flour will remain. Fold in walnuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
• 11. For topping, peel 1 large, very ripe banana and cut on bias into ¼-inch-thick slices.
• 12. Shingle banana slices on loaf in 2 rows, leaving 1½-inch-wide space down center. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons granulated sugar evenly over loaf.
• 13. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes.
• 14. Let loaf cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and let cool for 1 hour before serving.

Total Time: 3 hours
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Active Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Yield: Makes one 9-inch loaf
Make Ahead: Best served day it is baked, but can be cooled, then stored covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days
Difficulty: Intermediate

Ingredients

• 1¾ Cups (8¾ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 Teaspoon baking soda
• ½ Teaspoon table salt
• 6 Large very ripe bananas (about 2¼ pounds) *
• 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 Large eggs
• ¾ Cup (5¼ ounces) packed light brown sugar
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ Cup walnuts * *
• 2 Teaspoons granulated sugar

• * Be sure to use very ripe, heavily speckled (or even black) bananas in this recipe. This recipe can be made using 5 thawed frozen bananas; since they release a lot of liquid naturally, they can bypass the microwaving in step 5 and go directly into the fine-mesh strainer. Do not use a thawed frozen banana in step 11; it will be too soft to slice. Instead, simply sprinkle the top of the loaf with sugar.
• * * These are optional. If you prefer your banana bread without nuts, do not include this ingredient.

Tools

• 8½ by 4½ inch loaf pan *
• Small skillet * *
• Medium saucepan
• Microwave oven
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Dry measuring cups
• Liquid measuring cup
• Measuring spoons
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Microwave-safe plate
• Mixing bowls
• Potato masher
• Rubber spatula
• Whisk
• Wire rack
• Toothpick

• * The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8½ by 4½ inches; if you use a 9 by 5‑inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness 5 minutes earlier than advised in the recipe.
• * * Use this small skillet to toast the walnuts, if using. If omitting the walnuts, you will not need this skillet.

Step By Step

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with vegetable spray.

2. If using, toast ½ cup walnuts in small skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.

3. Add 8 tablespoons unsalted butter to now-empty pan and heat over medium heat until melted. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.

4. Whisk 1¾ cups (8¾ ounces) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Set aside.

5. Peel 5 large, very ripe bananas and place in separate microwave-safe bowl. Cover with microwave-safe plate and microwave until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes.

6. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer set over bowl and let drain, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes (you should have ½ to ¾ cup liquid).

7. Transfer drained liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

8. Transfer drained bananas to medium mixing bowl. Add reduced liquid and mash with potato masher until mostly smooth.

9. Whisk in melted butter, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup packed (5 ¼ ounces) light brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

10. Pour banana mixture into dry ingredients. Stir until just combined; some streaks of flour will remain. Fold in walnuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

11. For topping, peel 1 large, very ripe banana and cut on bias into ¼-inch-thick slices.

12. Shingle banana slices on loaf in 2 rows, leaving 1½-inch-wide space down center. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons granulated sugar evenly over loaf.

13. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes.

14. Let loaf cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and let cool for 1 hour before serving.