It was my birthday on Sunday and I am overjoyed to say I spent it surrounded by all my best friends and family in England!
I have never baked a cake (true story) but I’m pretty sure that banana bread should really be called banana cake. I love how “banana bread” makes it sound relatively healthy and breakfast-y. Although this version really is not that unhealthy – just 3/4 cup sugar and a couple tablespoons of butter. Oh – and that sour cream…
Either way, in my opinion, it’s totally cause for celebration:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m not much of a baker and only started trying my hand a couple of years ago. This is the first time I have made banana bread and without wanting to toot my own horn, it’s easily the best baked good I’ve ever created. How do I know this? Well, I found it totally delicious myself but the fact that it disappeared faster than a speeding bullet is also a good clue. David Lebovitz, I bow down to you.
Banana Bread
adapted from David Lebovitz
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or to taste (I know there’s a lot of cinna-lovers out there!)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 egg white
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 cup mushed banana, made from about 2 very ripe medium-sized bananas (I used the back of a fork to mush!)
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
- Butter a 9-inch square/bread pan. Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Sift together in a bowl the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix in the sugar.
- In a large bowl, mix together the butter, egg white, egg, banana puree, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Create a space in the center of the flour mixture and stir in the wet ingredients with a spatula or wooden spoon until almost mixed. Add in the chocolate chips and stir until just combined, without over-stirring: stop when any traces of flour disappear.
- Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until the center has a spring and feels just done.
- Cool on a baking rack.
Storage: This cake will keep well for a few days, or it can be frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, for a few months, ready to be whipped out when friends come over for brunch! Good luck not eating it all in one sitting though.
Want more banana goodness in your life?
