banana-rama

banana rama bread

Today is a glorious, magical day – Today is the day our brand new kitchen arrived.

It’s amazing that just yesterday we were at IKEA picking out cabinets and less than 24 hours later it arrived at our door. Of course, we’ve still got a long way to go, we have to assemble all of the new cabinets, rip out the old ones, and I’m sure the kitchen will be out of commission for some time once that starts… I did ask BF to try to maintain a functional kitchen space for as long as possible before the old kitchen get demolished.

current kitchen

 

Either way it’s going to limit the recipes I am able to make… no kitchen means no way to wash dishes and no place to prep. So in thinking about all these difficulties, I thought it’d be a great time to post on of the easiest recipes ever – banana bread. This requires only one (or two)  bowl(s), and you don’t even need to break out the mixer!

I’m super excited about the kitchen – although I fear I will fall behind on baking with no kitchen available… Although it’s probably for the best, since I will probably be too busy to gym as well…

Banana Bread – Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Printer-Friendly Version

  • 4 mashed bananas
  • 1/3 C melted butter
  • 3/4 C brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Tbsp bourbon (optional)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • Tiny pinch ground cloves
  • 1 1/2 C AP flour
  • Optional additions: Chocolate chips, streusel topping

Preheat oven to 350F; Grease 1 loaf pan and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar (sprinkling optional)

1. In medium bowl whisk together AP flour with salt and spices. Set aside

2. In large bowl mix mashed banana and melted butter with spoon. Stir in sugar, egg, vanilla, and bourbon.

3. Stir in flour mixture in 2 additions being careful not to over-mix. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

*If you want to keep this a “one-bowl” recipe, start with mixing the banana & butter, then sugar, egg, vanilla, (bourbon, if using). After that, stir in the spices, then sprinkle baking soda and salt over top, and lastly stir in the flour (followed by chocolate chips, if using).

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

Boyfriend loves streusel, so I try to add it whenever possible to my baked goods. Here’s a simple recipe to make streusel to top anything you desire…

  • 4 Tbs flour
  • 2 Tbs brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 Tbs cold butter

Mix flour, sugar, and cinnamon together, cut in cold butter. Sprinkle on top of banana bread batter prior to baking,

*Make sure you let the bread cool 100% before covering with foil, or it will turn the streusel from crunch to soft.

*If you need more, you can double (triple, quadruple) the recipe as needed. 

*Extra streusel can be frozen and used as needed straight from the freezer

*It also makes great muffins!


5 thoughts on “banana-rama

  1. How exciting for you to be getting a new kitchen! Can’t wait for you to post pictures of the final look. And all of your blog fans, we will wait patiently, knowing that a new kitchen will bring new inspirations to every receipe.

Somethin' to say? Share it here!