Banana Bread

Did you know that the darker a banana gets, the sweeter the flavor? Even with this revelation, I have met very few people who like to eat black bananas. But they do make fantastic bread, the softness that comes with the sweetness lends itself to the best crumb.

There are SO many versions of banana bread out there, and for a long time I used the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. That is until I didn't have the right ingredients and had to improvise. This recipe makes 2 large loaves, and can easily be halved for households that wont devour one entire loaf in the first couple hours, and the second within 24 hours. I never have to worry about banana bread going to waste.


Preheat oven to 350˚F

2 cups all purpose white flour, spooned and leveled
2 cups white whole wheat flour, spooned and leveled
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup applesauce
5 or 6 ripe bananas. (so 3-4 cups)
2 cups sugar
1 cup cooking oil

2 cups mini chocolate chips

In a medium size bowl, combine dry ingredients, mix and set aside. In the bowl of your mixer, or another large bowl beat bananas until mushed well. Add the eggs, applesauce, sugar and cooking oil and mix until well combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips if using.

Divide batter into 2 loaf pans that have been sprayed with cooking oil.

Because these are large, it will take over an hour, closer to 1h20m to bake. When a toothpick comes out clean, they are done.