Have some overripe bananas hanging around? This buttermilk banana bread recipe will take care of that problem!
Too much of a good thing
If you are anything like me, you always have overripe bananas hanging around. No matter, I like bananas with a few spots. I enjoy the sweetness that occurs as the ethylene gas ripens the banana. However, there comes a point when there is a little too much of a good thing. Dark and mushy is not the best state for a banana. But overripe bananas are perfect for banana bread!
Stay at home baking
Banana bread has become the cool kid of the baking world. Because of the quarantine, people are baking, which in my mind is the way to pass the time. I believe the reason for banana bread's popularity is that it is a quick bread. Since there isn't yeast involved and it doesn't require as much time, is it is an attainable baking goal for an afternoon spent at home. And warm banana bread with a slather of butter is the best.
No technique required
I really enjoy teaching my students how to make quick breads. However, we make muffins instead of a loaf of bread due to time constraints. The kiddos are amazed by their final project. One middle school student told me, "I never thought I was capable of making something that looked this delicious." Talk about breaking my heart!
While making this recipe is as easy as dumping ingredients into a bowl, there are two requirements, though. Preheat the oven and coat the loaf pan with cooking spray or mild vegetable oil. That is about all the technique required.
As with any quick bread recipe, there are two components - dry ingredients, and wet ingredients. Incorporate the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together. Add the wet to the dry. That is as complicated as the recipe gets.
Embellishments
In this recipe, I have added toffee bits. The caramelized flavor is a nice companion to bananas. I also add a little crunchy Maldon salt on top for some texture and to add some depth of flavor. Salt enhances the sweetness. But you can add what you have a taste for - roasted walnuts, chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips, are a few that come to mind.
The next time you have some bananas going south, try this buttermilk banana bread recipe. So delicious and so worth it!
Buttermilk Banana Bread
Equipment
- Loaf pan - 8 ½" x 4" x 2 ½" high
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup toffee bits
Wet ingredients
- 3 bananas ripe
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Prepare Pan
- Coat the inside of the loaf pan with nonstick spray or vegetable oil. Preheat the oven to 350°.
Mix dry ingredients
- Using a whisk, combine flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Mix wet ingredients
- In a medium-size bowl, mash the bananas until you have a pulpy consistency. Stir in the melted butter. Add the lightly beaten eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. The batter will be thick. Make sure that all dry ingredients are incorporated but stop stirring as soon as everything is mixed. If you continue to stir, the bread will become tough due to gluten formation.
- Lastly, stir the toffee bits into the batter. Spoon the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 70 minutes. The top of the loaf will be a caramel-colored brown and may have a crack. That's ok - the loaf will stay intact. To test for doneness, you can insert a toothpick or skewer into the top. If the bread is done, the toothpick should be clean when taken out of the bread. Also when you touch the bread, it should feel solid. Let the bread cool for at least 15 minutes before you try to take the loaf out of the pan.
Notes
Nutrition
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