One of my pet peeves in the kitchen is wasting food. I can't stand throwing away expired food, so to prevent waste, I try to plan meals and other recipes around leftover ingredients. That way, I get the most out of the money spent on groceries. It also encourages me to get creative with my cooking and baking. So similar to my last post, which was for Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Cookies, I needed to come up with a recipe to use up some overripe bananas. What better way than with the old standby, banana bread? I also had some leftover buttermilk in the fridge from the cake I baked for my birthday, so I decided to incorporate buttermilk into the recipe. The result was the BEST banana bread I have ever had, and I would like to share it with you.
Whenever I try a new banana bread recipe (and trust me, I've been through quite a few), I always judge it based on two qualities that I think make the best banana bread. The first is the flavor profile. Banana bread should have a full-bodied banana flavor, and any other ingredients that affect the taste should be complementary without overpowering the banana. Some banana breads I've tested, for example, had a metallic taste to them because baking soda was used. "But there's baking soda in your recipe," you say. Yes, there is, but the buttermilk that is also an ingredient in the recipe, works chemically as an acid that neutralizes the metallic taste of the baking soda. Not trying to bore anyone, just letting you know why this loaf of banana bread tastes superior to other loaves that might leave a metallic after taste in your mouth. You'd just hate to see that...
Anyways, back to the amazing flavor profile of this bread, which includes vanilla. I'll admit, a tablespoon of vanilla might seem like a lot, but you'll thank me later after you take a bite (or twenty) of this banana bread. The vanilla gives this bread rich, complex flavor and really helps to highlight, rather than mask, the banana, which should be the star of the banana bread show. So this bread has a heavenly flavor profile...check.
First we judged flavor and next up for judging is texture. I have to confess that my favorite part of this banana bread, and what sets it apart, is the texture and consistency of the loaf. Everyone knows that the best banana breads are super moist, and this one does not disappoint. It is perfectly moist and tender, and is so satisfying to bite into. The other textural component to this bread that really sold me is the crust that forms on the loaf. Now, I am totally a center/middle/any-part-but-the-edge-piece kind of girl, but this banana bread has turned me over to the dark side. I've almost been converted and I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I really can't help it. Here's why: the outer crust that forms on this bread becomes a perfectly caramelized layer where all the rich flavors of the banana bread are intensified in a sweet, slightly crunchy bite. I can't even believe I'm writing this right now, but simply because I'm actually raving about the crust of this bread, you have to try this recipe. That's not to say the the super soft and moist middle is any less satisfying, but the crust adds an extra, unexpected bite that really elevates this bread above the rest.
I know that many people have their favorite banana bread recipe, but I'm hoping this one earns a trial against the favorites. This banana bread really does deserve a special spot in the ol' recipe book or card box. And for those who don't have a favorite, or go-to banana bread recipe, try this one! I promise it won't disappoint!
This ends the first of many "Best" recipes I'll likely share. Here's the recipe, and I hope you get the chance to try it yourself!
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| Recipe by H & R Blog |
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