The key to making great banana bread? Really, really ripe bananas.
I’m not talking about those yellowish ones with small freckles and brown spots. For the most flavorful banana bread, you’ll need the dark brown and super soft bananas currently sitting in your kitchen corner. You know, the ones you never got around to eating. They should be so ripe you may have to fight off an army of fruit flies. I’m serious.
Banana bread is best kept simple. No nuts, chocolate or extra additions for me. I like my banana bread to always taste just like bananas. The remaining ingredients all stay true to the classic with the exception of the mascarpone. While the banana will always be the star of this dish, the mascarpone guarantees the most moist and tender loaf.
Not ready to bake yet? Not a problem. Just throw those perfectly overripe bananas in the freezer, peels and all. Then warm them up in some water to defrost, cut off the tops and squeeze out the mush when you are ready. Enjoy!
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 1½ cups flour
- 1¼ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup mascarpone
- ½ stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 4-5 large very ripe bananas, mashed
- Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat a loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat brown sugar, mascarpone, and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend and scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
- Add flour mixture and mix on low until combined. Add bananas and mix together with a large spoon just until combined. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.
- Bake bread until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 60–65 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let bread cool before slicing.
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