My mother is an expert banana bread baker. My brothers and I grew up with Mom baking it on a fairly regular basis. It’s a great way to use up overripe (not rotten) bananas, heat up the house on a cold day, and offer a sweet treat for her family.
When I was in Kindergarten, my classmates and I were told to draw something food or from the kitchen. Being the consummate table setter that I am, I tried drawing a place setting, but ultimately failed. I never was good at art. What we didn’t know at the time is that the drawings would be used in a cookbook for Lincoln-McKinley school. My mother of course had a copy, and I finally got one on a lucky day at a rummage sale. The banana bread recipe she uses is in this book, and it is the same one I use. This is how I make banana bread:
2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
3 t. baking powder (Mom used either Calumet or Clabber Girl, I use either/or, too)
1/4 c. butter
3/4 c. milk
1 egg
1 c. mashed bananas (overripe is best, it gives of a really delicious “banana-y” flavor)
1 c. chopped nuts (Mom mostly used walnuts. I didn’t have them on hand the last time I made banana bread so I used sliced almonds.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Sift together dry ingredients. Combine with the rest of the ingredients. Mix at medium speed until well mixed. (I just mixed with a big kitchen spoon.) Bake 55 to 65 minutes. Cool before slicing. Makes 2 loaves. From D. J. Cochran.
After a few minutes I take the loaves out of their pans and let them cool on a wire rack.
