COOKIN’ WITH CAPITAL
COOKIN’ WITH CAPITAL
STEP 1
Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9×5” loaf pan and line with parchment paper, see photo.
STEP 2
Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl, set aside.
STEP 3
In a small bowl, combine mashed banana, milk, honey, and vanilla extract, set aside.
STEP 4
In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Reduce speed to low and alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
STEP 5
Mix batter just until blended and there are no visible lumps of flour, about 2 minutes (do not over mix).
STEP 6
Combine nuts with 1 Tbsp flour; add to the batter and pour into prepared pan.
STEP 7
Add turbinado sugar to the reserved 1 Tbsp nuts and sprinkle over the top.
STEP 8
Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes (it took 1 hour, 14 minutes in my oven).
STEP 9
Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then lift the loaf out of the pan, and cool completely on rack.
STORY
I was an early subscriber to “O Magazine” where this recipe was printed in March of 2004, along with a story on bees and honey. I think the use of honey makes this bread less sweet and the use of pecans instead of walnuts, adds a bit of extra flavor. I made a loaf recently and brought some to share at our Long Beach office, where it was very well-received.
NOTES
It’s important that all wet ingredients are at room temperature.
Only use very ripe, brown bananas – more banana flavor.
Do not open the oven during baking – disrupts the rise of the bread.
A parchment paper-lined pan guarantees that the loaf comes out of the pan intact.
Submitted by:
Frances Miyamoto