I love to cook and I especially love to bake. I make this banana bread frequently and it's become somewhat famous with our families as I almost always make it when we have weekend guests. I'm planning to make it to take to the beach in a few weeks for the Chandler family beach vacation. I'm guessing the two loaves will last about two days, maybe three :)
The following recipe is adapted from the Unbelievable Banana Bread recipe in The Bride and Groom First and Forever Cookbook by Mary Corpening Barber & Sara CorpeningWhiteford, which is a fabulous cookbook and I highly recommend it - newlywed or not. Anyway, the recipe is very easy and a great use for too-ripe bananas, enjoy!
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup soy milk*
2-3 very ripe mashed bananas
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray.
Stir together the flour, kosher salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Combine the oil and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Or use a hand mixer.) Beat on low speed until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute.
Stir the baking soda into the buttermilk in a small bowl. Add one third of the dry ingredients to the mixer, followed by half of the buttermilk and mix on low until barely combined. Repeat, scrape down the sides of the mixer as needed. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Add the mashed bananas and mix until just incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 minutes to an hour, depending on your oven.
*I know the soy milk seems weird. The original recipe calls for buttermilk, which I hate to buy because it comes in such large containers and I don't have a use for the rest of it so it spoils in the refrigerator. You can add white vinegar to regular milk to "make" buttermilk but since I don't drink milk, we rarely have that in the house. I just started using soy milk and it tastes great. Even my dad who is highly suspicious of anything make from soy, loved this banana bread. I just didn't tell anyone it was made with soy milk :)
