maple banana bread
Banana bread is the perfect way to use up old bananas that are past their prime; adding pure maple syrup to the recipe sweetens the batter with rich fall flavor.
Last weekend I was informed that the stash of ‘rotten’ bananas in the freezer was starting to get out of hand. A handful of bananas were thawed, a bowl of maple banana bread batter was whisked together and our entire home smelled like a warm fall morning for the next several hours. The only downside to this recipe, if there’s even one at all, is that your kitchen will smell so incredible while the bread is baking that an hour will feel like a lifetime. Go ahead, make a batch. There’s nothing sweeter than waking up to the smell of fresh baked banana bread on a chilly morning.
MAPLE BANANA BREAD
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2-3 bananas, mashed
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ cup milk
PREPARATION
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9x5" loaf pan with butter.
- Mix together flour, baking soda and cinnamon and set aside.
- Cream together brown sugar, butter and vanilla until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
- Mash bananas and maple syrup together and stir into the egg mixture.
- Alternately incorporate the flour mixture and milk until well combined and smooth.
- Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 45-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. (Begin checking at 45 minutes, as the maple will cause the bread to get quite dark. However, I find that right under 60 minutes tends to do the trick).
- If your bread is getting too dark for your liking, you can cover with foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
- Let banana bread cool for 15 minutes before serving thick slices with a smear of butter and an extra drizzle of maple, if desired.
Oh my. I already adore banana bread. And now maple… A super fall treat!!