My friend Dawn created the best banana bread recipe. That's even what it's called, Best Banana Bread. I've been making her recipe for about 20 years now. This is not that recipe, lol!
Dawn's recipe calls for buttermilk, and I forgot to buy the buttermilk. I know you can make it at home by adding vinegar to regular milk, but I thought I would take the opportunity to try a different banana bread recipe. This one calls for plain yogurt, which I did have, so it all worked out.
This recipe comes from The New Best Recipe cookbook. This is my husband's go-to cookbook when he's not just winging it in the kitchen. They have a few banana bread variations listed in the book, so I made the orange-spice version. It's really good, and you can really taste the orange!
So while I will still probably use Dawn's banana bread recipe more often than not, at least now I have a solid backup for those times when I forget the buttermilk.
Orange-Spice Banana Bread
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
1 1/4 cups walnuts, chopped coarse (I actually didn't use nuts because I never put nuts in my banana bread)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanila extract
Add-ins:
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of a 9x5 loaf pan. Dust with flour, tapping out excess.
2. Spread walnuts (if using) on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and walnuts together in a large bowl. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest if using. Set aside.
4. Mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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