Banana Bread

A Sweet, Cake-like Bread

Ingredients: (makes 1 loaf)
-3 Ripe, Mashed Bananas
-2 cup of All Purpose Flour
-1 tsp. baking soda
-1/4 tsp. Salt
-1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
-1 stick of butter at room temperature
-3/4 cup of brown sugar
-2 eggs
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
*Optional*
-1/2-3/4 cup of chopped pecans

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Step 1: Adjust your oven rack to the lower third position ad preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 in. loaf pan and set aside.
Step 2: Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon all in a large bowl.
Step 3: In another bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy with a hand mixer for about 2 minutes. While still whisking, add in one egg at a time,the mashed bananas, and vanilla extract. After well combined, slowly mix in the dry ingredients, combine and fold in 3/4 of your pecans if using. Sprinkle the remaining pecans on the top of the bread.
Step 4: Spoon the batter into the pan and bake for 60-65 minutes. After 30 minutes of baking, loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil to prevent the top from getting too brown. Once the bread is done, place on a cooling rack.
Step 5: Cut and Enjoy!

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NOTES: 2. To see if the bread is ready, insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, the bread is done. 
3. You can cover and store banana bread at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week.

1. Whenever you have ripe bananas, this Banana Bread recipe is great for your next breakfast or snack. This recipe is not as airy and fluffy as other recipes but is still very delicious. For a nice twist on your normal banana bread, you can toast it and add butter. Make sure to try this recipe the next time you have ripe bananas!

-Elena