Banana Nut Bread

I'm still not quite sure what part of me thought it was a good idea to get on an airplane during the Holidays and think that somehow nothing would go wrong.

I hate airplanes.

Wait, no, let me correct myself... I hate airports.

They are a pain. A big pain. Like... stepping on a bunch of lego's kind of pain. For one, all the food there is too expensive... even if it's just one little piece of fruit! I was in layover in Tennessee and you know how much it cost for one tiny palm sized apple!? $1.30! I could buy like... a whole POUND of apples for less than that. It was riiiiiiidiculous.

Not only that, but God forbid your flight delays. You know what there is to do at an airport if you're stuck there for an extra hour? nothing. You could walk around the whole airport... but then you start to feel really weird because you keep passing by the same stores and the people that work there start to give you funny looks like they've never seen someone stuck at an airport before.

Not to mention the fact that going through security takes five hours. Five hours of which you feel like you have to throw all your clothes off in lightspeed because somehow you ALWAYS end up in front of the one person who only takes like....a laptop and flip-flops.

All the while, you have to worry about being one of those selected people who get the majorly violating pat-down that will give you nightmares of security people touching you in weird places while you sleep. Keep your hands to yourself, please.

The worst part about it wasn't the security though. Or the one hour delay. Or the fact that we couldn't even leave the plane because for some reason the plane door wouldn't unlock, so we had to wait 15 minutes. It was the fact that before the flight I had meant to bring a slice of banana nut bread with me and I totally forgot.

I made banana nut bread before I left for what seems like the first time in ages. For years I've been searching for the banana nut bread that tastes most like the one my grandmother made, but I haven't been able to yet. I'm certain she made hers with walnuts, but for lack of time, I subbed out pecans. While the bread is still absolutely delicious, and probably one of the better recipes I've used, it still isn't my grandmothers bread. One day, I'll make it. But for now, this one will definitely do.

It uses up at least 5 BLACK bananas. Yes, BLACK bananas. Don't use them if their spotted. Wait until they are completely dark as night black. That's when the banana flavor is most prominent and sweet. And though you can use less than 5, I really recommend 5. It gives the bread a nice banana flavor that melds beautifully with the nuts, brown sugar, and dash of cinnamon. I also added a nice sugar crust to the top, which gives it a slight crunch when you eat it. It's perfect with peanut butter or nutella, or toasted with butter. And the slices are thick and well kept together enough that it can totally be made into french toast. So really, this banana bread is just all kinds of awesome.

Maybe if all the people work at the airport had this kind of bread for breakfast, they'd be less cranky. Including me.

Banana Nut Bread

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

3/4 (packed) brown sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

2 1/3 cups mashed black bananas (5 bananas)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease 9x5-inch loaf pan.

2. In large bowl, combined the mashed bananas with the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in eggs, vanilla extract and cinnamon.

3. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture. Stir together.

4. Sift in the 2 cups of flour, and then mix until there is no signs of flour left. Do not overmix. It's dangerous for your banana breads soul.

5. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out the middle mostly clean. Allow bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Roasted Banana Muffins with Brown Sugar Topping

Bananas.

Gwen Stefani and I can relate to them.

Because apparently, a lot of things make me bananas.


For example, when I walk past the kids section of our bookstore on a saturday night after a family of six have been sitting there for 3 hours.

I go bananas.

When it's 8 in the morning and I am ready for my cuppa coffee only to find that the coffee bin is bone-dry empty,

I go bananas.

When my bank decides to withhold 300+ dollars from me for 2 weeks just 'cause they feel like it,

I go bananas.


When I'm in a public bathroom and at the last possible second I realize that there is no toilet paper left for the stall,

I go bananas.

And then I panic and start having violent convulsions and delusional thoughts about how I am going to get said toilet paper without coming into another humans contact or leaving the stall with my pants on the ground.

But mostly I just go bananas.


The point is, bananas and I have a long history together. I know how bananas feel. Which is why I couldn't help but feel just a little bit bad when I threw them in the oven, roasted them until they were caramelized and then mashed them all together to make a muffin.

But then I ate them with some coffee, and I didn't feel bad anymore.


These muffins are incredibly moist, low in sugar, and really not that bad nutritional wise for you. Especially if you skip the brown sugar topping (but that might drive you bananas). Since I didn't completely mash them up they have little chunks of banana sticking out here and there making them really visually pleasing when you open them up. Made with mostly whole wheat flour, no eggs, 3 lovely black as night bananas and 1/2 cup sugar, they are an appropriate breakfast item especially if you schmear some all natural peanut butter on top. Mmm.

Try 'em out. Their delicious, and roasting them doesn't take too long and certainly makes all the difference.

Roasted Banana Muffins with Brown Sugar Topping

Banana Muffin Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat, 1/2 cup all-purpose)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup white sugar or brown sugar (I used white)

3 very ripe bananas
1 egg, whisked (optional, I omitted and it came out great)
1/3 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brown Sugar Topping
1 tablespoon quick cooking oats
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
dash of cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F

2. First, make 3 in. slits into the bananas skin. Place them into the oven (or a conventional oven) for 15-20 minutes or until juices start flowing out of the slits. Remove from oven and let them cool down a bit. Reduce oven heat to 350F.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour through nutmeg)

4. Briefly mash bananas together with the sugar, sour cream, vanilla and egg if using until it just combined and still chunky in some areas.

5. Fold flour mixture with banana mixture until there is no trace of flour left. Do not overmix.

6. Pour into prepared muffin tin about 3/4th full.

7. In another small bowl mix the topping ingredients together. Sprinkle evenly over all muffins.

8. Bake muffins at 350F for about 10-15 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 12 regular sized muffins and 16-17ish mini muffins.

Banana Split Cupcakes

You know what I read today?

That people actually have a "traditional" way to eat a banana split.

What!?

I didn't even KNOW there was such a thing as rituals when eating a banana split. I mean. Really, the last thing on my mind is how i'm going to eat a banana split when you put a big bowl full of ice-cream, whipcream, banana, hot fudge with a wicked cool cherry on top in front of me. The only thing I'm thinking is: "Where is my spoon and I swear to God my *insertfriendnamehere* better not eat that cherry"... Definitely not sitting there contemplating specific ways to eat my banana split.

But did you know that people actually do that? Some people say that what you're suppose to do is eat the ice-cream flavors IN SPECIFIC ORDER. Someone said that they like to start light (strawberry first), then go right for the chocolate, and then end with the vanilla... Another person said that they only eat the whipcream with the banana and leave the ice-cream till afterwards... Are you serious?! Hello! Banana splits were totally not meant to be deconstructed! And no part should ever be ignored. Maybe other people are into that... but as for me, I think I'll stick with just delving in and appreciating all the flavors at once. Oh yes. Sugar overload. It's one of lifes necessaties. Especially concerning banana splits.

Not to mention someone said they don't even like the cherry on top! Pshh.

The only way a banana split should be deconstructed is if it's reconstructed to make something even better. Yes, people. Banana split cupcakes. They exist. Thank God do they exist.

Banana cupcakes topped with a light vanilla buttercream, drizzled with chocolate syrup and then topped with candied cherry-halves... It sounds complicated, doesn't it?

Well, it's not at all! As long as you have some spotty bananas, butter, chocolate syrup, and cherries (don't have to be candied!), you are good to go. And if you're into some crushed walnuts, you could add those too! (Unfortunately allergies were put into consideration when making these cupcakes... so no nuts on these babies).

The cupcakes are insanely easy to make but BE WARY -- they make A LOT. I was using a mini-cupcake pan for the majority of them and WHOA, I made enough to put Friendly's banana split out of business. For real.

While they don't give you the ice-cold sweet treat you may be looking for... if you want to enjoy all the flavors of a banana split in a cute little munching form, this is definitely the way to go. Plus, I have a hunch that their less calories than a normal banana split. Just sayin'.

If you do make these though, I better not see you wiping off that frosting or taking off that cherry.
And if you do, well... I'll have it ;)

Banana Split Cupcakes

(Makes about 36 mini cupcakes, and about 24 regular cupcakes)

Banana Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
4 ripe bananas, mashed
2/3 cup buttermilk

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1 stick butter, softened
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk


**Additional toppings:
Candied cherries, halved,
crushed walnuts,
chocolate syrup (homemade or store bought)


Directions:

1. To make Banana Cupcakes, Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pans (or just spray liberally with cooking spray.) In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream butter, white sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in the bananas. Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk to the creamed mixture. Pour batter into muffin pan.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and place on a damp tea towel to cool.

To make vanilla buttercream frosting, in a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Add salt, vanilla, confectioners' sugar and milk. Beat well. Add more/less sugar/milk for desired consistency.

How to set up cupcakes: Using a piping bag or other, pipe frosting on COOLED cupcakes. Put half of a candied cherry in middle. Melt chocolate to syrupy consistency (or use already made chocolate syrup), and with a small spoon drizzle chocolate over cherry and frosting. Garnish with finely chopped walnuts if desired.