Published by Melissa on | Updated | 37 Comments
Pin
Share
Tweet
Jump to Recipe
For the ultimate banana bread you want a bread loaded with great banana flavor that’s moist and tender, but not overly moist or soggy.
When America’s Test Kitchen emailed me a link to their Ultimate Banana Bread recipe, I just happened to have 3 very ripe bananas on the counter. We eat a lot of banana bread and our favorite is a recipe from Cooking Light, Better Banana Bread. We’ve been making that banana breadrecipe several times a month for years. However, I’m always happy to try a new recipe, especially one that claims to be the Ultimate Banana Bread.
Their theory behind the recipe is that you need to use lots of bananas to achieve a great banana flavor, but if you use too many bananas the texture is mushy. They solve this problem by softening the bananas in the microwave, and then separating the banana juice from the bananas and reducing the banana juice on the stove.
The trouble was the recipe called for 6 very ripe bananas and I only had 3 bananas, so I decided to divided the recipe in half and make two cute little banana bread loaves.
My daughter loves Craisins in her banana bread, so we added dried cranberries to the banana bread. I usually don’t like walnuts in my banana bread, and I didn’t like them in this banana bread either. I think in a bread that highlights the banana flavor, the walnuts were overpowering. If you’re going to go to all the trouble to reduce banana juice you should just let the bananas shine.
Their method doesn’t take a lot more time, but you sure do dirty a lot of dishes.In the end though, the flavor and texture of this banana bread is excellent. I may have to agree, this maybe the ultimate banana bread.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
4.38 from 8 votes
Ultimate Banana Bread Mini Loaves
Prep Time25 minutes mins
Cook Time30 minutes mins
Total Time55 minutes mins
Course: Quick Breads
Keyword: baking, food, recipe
Servings: 2 mini loaves
Author: Barbara Schieving
Ingredients
- ¾ cups + 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 3 large very ripe bananas
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup dried cranberries optional
- ¼ cup walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350º. Spray two mini loaf pans (5 ¾ x 3 ¼ x 2 ¼) with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.
Place 2 ½ bananas in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife. Microwave on high power until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 2 minutes. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer placed over a bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes (you should have ¼ to ⅓ cup liquid).
Transfer liquid to small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with potato masher until fairly smooth. Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla.
Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in dried cranberries and walnuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
Slice remaining half banana diagonally into ¼-inch-thick half moon slices. Shingle banana slices on top of either side of loaf, leaving 1 ½-inch-wide space down center to ensure even rise. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over loaf.
Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 10 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
More banana bread recipes you might like:
Chunky Monkey Banana Bread, Barbara Bakes
Banana Nutella Bread, Barbara Bakes
Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread, Barbara Bakes
Coconut Pecan Banana Bread, Add A Pinch
Biscoff Banana Bread with Biscoff Cookie Streusel, Two Peas and Their Pod
Pin
Share
Tweet
« Gâteau à la Crème: a French Brioche Pastry with Lemon Cream Filling
All-American Pizza and Homemade Pizza Sauce »
About Melissa & Barbara
As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...
Reader Interactions
Comments
Daliza
I skipped the whole microwaving banana and saucepan steps and just mixed the 2 mixtures together and it still came out delicious! Great recipe! Not too sweet!
Reply
Barbara Schieving
Glad it was a hit – thanks Daliza!
Reply
Rose
Excellent! I followed the recipe as written including adding the craisins, but no nuts. It is the Ultimate Banana Bread. Thank you.
Reply
Lara Fabans
Bought my husband some banana cake from the local uh-may-zing bakery. He offered me some but I declined. Call me silly, but nothing is better than banana bread. Brings me right back to childhood happiness. When my mom passed, my dad learned quickly how to make two things: meatloaf & her banana bread.
Reply
Aruna Advaney
Thanks for sharing. 🙂 I like your ingredient rations, and how you combined the two recipes. I also like the similarity to this recipe that I tried for cinnamon honey banana bread:
http://www.hungrybrownie.com/recipe-cinnamon-honey-banana-bread/
and that you used even less sugar & flour with the same amount of bananas.
I don’t have the mini-pans. Do I need to make any cooking adjustments for my 8×4 loaf pan?
Reply
Aruna Advaney
Sorry, I meant ingredient RATIOS! lol…
Reply
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Aurna. For an 8×4 loaf you’ll want to bake it for 55 to 75 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean
Reply
Aruna Advaney
Oh, how easy! Thanks!
Reply
My Inner Chick
O, Banana Bread is one of my fave. things in the ENTIRE WORLD.
This looks So Deeeeeeeeelish,
Thank you, B. x
Reply
Linda M
It looks cute with the little banana shingles, but I don’t know if it is enough to lure me away from banana nutella bread. I’m kinda fixated on that one.
Reply
Lauren @ Dallas Duo Bakes
I never thought of adding craisins to banana bread. I love them, so I bet its a great addition. I like how you layered the sliced bananas around the edges of the pan. Looks pretty!
Reply
Becky
This recipe does look exceptional. My go-to banana bread recipe comes from an old Southern Living cookbook and it is oh so good!!
Reply
Karen Petersen
I’ve also wanted to try this method since I saw it on ATK but like you, I rarely have 6 ripe bananas at once!!
Reply
Nutmeg Nanny
Mmm, this looks delightful 🙂 I bet it’s perfectly moist!
Reply
Leave a Reply
« Older Comments
