Bettye's Best Banana Bread

Submitted by Chef Melly-Belly

"After years of dry and flavorless banana bread, this recipe was worked out. The secret is using the ripest bananas...Almost too ripe to handle!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 20mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 2-4

ingredients

• 1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3⁄4 cup butter or 3/4 cup softened margarine
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1⁄4 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 - 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 cup well-mashed over-ripe banana

• Glaze (optional)

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 -3 tablespoons lemon juice

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease and flour two 8 1/2-by-4 1/2 inch loaf pans.
3. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda.
4. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately.
7. Beat batter 2-3 minutes.
8. Stir in vanilla, nuts, and bananas.
9. Spoon into loaf pans.
10. Bake about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick can be inserted and pulled out clean.
11. Cool before adding glaze.
12. For the glaze, stir confectioners' sugar and lemon juiice until smooth.
13. Pour over cooled loaves.

Reviews

[jclkelley]

I discovered this recipe in "Taste of Home" magazine. I have tried several different banana bread recipes over the years and found most to be dry and unflavorful. The caption on this recipe promised moist and flavorful bread, and that's exactly what I found it to be! Without question this is the best (and last) banana bread recipe I've ever tried. I like to add mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Everyone loves it and asks for the recipe! Instead of buttermilk (which I never have on hand), I use milk with 1 Tb. white vinegar.