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This is the BEST banana bread! I got the recipe from a college friend’s mother, who brought the bread to every lacrosse game. It is super moist, perfectly sweet, and always was first to disappear from the dessert buffet. Make it!
It likely comes as no surprise that many fond memories of childhood sports center around food. From the orange slices at half time, to the post game treats, to the end-of-season celebrations, food visions rival the victories, the losses, the nail biters.
When I think of soccer season, I especially remember one thing: Valentina’s brownies and rice crispy treats. Valentina, a tall, striking Venezuelan, never missed a game and always arrived with big smiles, huge hugs and loads of treats, the perfect antidote for a colossal whopping. I would share the recipes with you all — I tried to get them about a year ago — but Valentina swears she always just “followed the recipe on the box.” Likely story, Valentina. Her brownies and rice crispy treats were legendary.
When I think of lacrosse season, again, I especially remember another surrogate mother, Mrs. Myers, and again, her treats. Mrs. Myers’s banana bread was moist, perfectly sweet, and always first to disappear from the dessert buffet — I looked forward to it before the games even started. Midseason I remember even devising a post-game-buffet plan of attack, hitting up the dessert table first, tucking slices of banana bread under a napkin, sometimes stashing them in my bag for later. What can I say? This stuff was gold.
I was lucky enough to obtain Mrs. Myers’s recipe from her daughter, a dear friend with whom I spent many hours in the kitchen, mostly baking, always some sort of biscotti, often cinnamon flavored with chocolate chips. I’ve been making this banana bread for about 10 years now, and it never fails to please, kids and adults alike.
I can’t wait to assume the role as soccer mom. With this recipe on hand, I’m destined to become a legend, too.
Mrs. Myers’ Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hours
- Total Time: 1 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 2
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Notes:
Overripe bananas freeze beautifully — just peel them and place them in a ziplock bag in the freezer. When you’re ready to use them, place them in a colander in the sink to drain — they’ll give up a lot of liquid and look totally repulsive, but they work beautifully.
To make homemade buttermilk: place 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Fill cup with milk until it reaches the 1/2-cup line. Let stand for five minutes.
Loaf Pans: I love this Chicago Metallic 8.5 x 4.5 – inch loaf pan for this recipe. You need two pans for this recipe.
Flour: unbleached, all-purpose is best
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3 cups sifted flour (I never sift)
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. table salt
- 5 eggs (I use 4)
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup nuts (I never add nuts)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 quart mashed bananas, about 8 (ripe to overripe)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Butter two loaf pans. (I butter generously.)
- In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
- With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla, buttermilk and bananas.
- Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Divide batter between the two prepared pans. Bake for approximately 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and turn loaves out onto cooling rack immediately. Let cool.
- Category: Quick Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: banana, bread, quick, best, moist
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Alba says
My family loves this banana bread recipe. My first time trying it. It’s very moist. I substituted evaporated milk( 1:1 ratio) instead of regular milk. I also used walnuts, pecans, and raisins. I also used only 4 eggs. It came out really good! Will definitely make it again and share the link. Thanks.
★★★★★
alexandra says
Wonderful to hear this, Alba!
Gretchen Zantzinger says
Always a hit! Delicious recipe.
★★★★★
Linh.N says
Absolute hit with family and work colleagues, we had fresh buttermilk after making butter so what better way to use the buttermilk. Made 3 batches, 1 batch I made muffins for school lunches, 1 bread tin with nuts and the other without. My family and work family will never buy store brought banana bread after this. Guess I’ll be stuck in the kitchen baking more now 😃
★★★★★
alexandra says
Wonderful to hear this, Linh!
Margaret says
Awesome! Very moist and delicious. Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
alexandra says
Wonderful to hear this!
Lindy says
Delicious and hubby’s favourite
★★★★★
alexandra says
Yay 😍😍😍😍
Cinnamon says
This is by far the best banana bread recipe! So moist and flavorful!! I have been making it weekly for the past couple months and have even added all kinds of ingredients (peanut butter, nuts, chocolate chips and fresh strawberries, not all at the same time😜) Comes out amazing ever time!!
★★★★★
alexandra says
Wonderful to hear this, Cinnamon! All of the add-ins sound delicious 🎉🎉🎉
Desirae Nicholson says
This is my favorite banana bread recipe it truly is so moist! Could this be substituted with wheat flour to make a gluten free version?
★★★★★
Desirae says
I meant gluten free flour
alexandra says
Gotcha! I would just use your favorite gluten-free flour mix or one designed for cakes and quick breads.
alexandra says
Wonderful to hear this! And though I have not tried gluten-free flour, other commenters have with success. So, I’d say go for it!
TERRY CRUSE says
Excellent banana bread. Made it with black walnuts and it was delish!
★★★★★