Week 48: Famous Banana Bread

This isn't a new recipe.  This banana bread has been in my rotation since I met Brad 11 years ago. It is his grandma's recipe. The first time I made it was in the kitchen of the college house Brad lived in. Four college boys. One kitchen. I had to bring all the baking supplies and gear. It may have been the only thing ever cooked in the oven - besides french fries or frozen pizzas.

Prep time: less than 15 minutes

Cook time: 60 minutes

Makes 1 loaf

1 C sugar

1/2 C (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 egg

3 mashed bananas

3 Tbsp milk with 1 tsp baking soda dissolved in it

2 C flour

1 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line bread pan with parchment paper.

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, banana, and milk mixture. Mix well.

Add flour, baking powder, and salt.

Pour batter into pan and bake for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

My Notes:

Listen to the part of the ingredient list that tells you to dissolve the baking soda in the milk. It, apparently, is the secret to making the bread.

Week 42: Peanut butter Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

A fun little treat.

Taken from Buns in My Oven

Peanut butter Banana Cake
1 C (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C buttermilk
3 medium bananas, mashed
1/3 C peanut butter
2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 C walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla, peanut butter.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Add flour and buttermilk alternately to the batter. Stir in bananas.

Pour batter into two greased 8" cake pans (each about 1 1/2" deep) and bake for 40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

Cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

1 C white sugar
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp milk
11.5 oz milk chocolate chips


Add sugar, butter, and milk to a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil for exactly 60 seconds and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips and continue stirring until the chocolate has melted. Use frosting immediately as it will harden quickly. Makes about 2 cups and will easily frost between and on top of the 2 layers.

My notes:
I had a difficult time getting the cakes to actually bake all the way. The bananas make for such a moist cake that it seems to stay raw in the center forever, and my center fell as soon as they came out of the oven.


The final product was okay. The peanut butter taste was very subtle and the frosting was delish!