Whole Banana Bread
- Level: Easy
- Yield: One 8-by-4-inch loaf
- Total: 10 hr 10 min (including freezing, thawing and cooling times)
- Active: 20 min
Ingredients
3 medium organic overripe bananas with freckled peels (about 1 pound), washed well and frozen 6 to 8 hours
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup loosely packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature, well beaten
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, optional
Directions
Special equipment:
an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan- A couple of hours before baking, let the bananas thaw completely on a plate at room temperature.
- Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Spray an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment, leaving 1-inch overhang on the long sides.
- Whisk the cake flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; Set aside.
- Trim the stems and tips from the thawed bananas then transfer the unpeeled bananas to a high-power blender or food processor; blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; add both sugars, the eggs, butter and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, if using.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake until puffed up, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on the rack.