Banana (Nut) Bread

This recipe is adapted from an America’s Test Kitchen version. I used frozen bananas, which is great to just stash over-ripe bananas in the freezer. However, I found out the hard way is that it’s no fun peeling* them once they have thawed. Your best bet is to peel and then freeze them, preferably on a silpat-lined sheet pan. You don’t want them to freeze to the pan. Once frozen you can pop them in a freezer bag and freeze until ready to use.

5 large frozen and thawed very ripe bananas (about 2 1/4 pounds), peeled*
8 tablespoons (4 oz, 113 g) unsalted butter, plus enough to grease pan
2 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup (5 1/4 oz / 150 g) packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups (8 3/4 oz / 248 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (1.5 oz) slivered almonds or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped, optional
2 tablespoons slivered almonds for garnish, optional (see photo)

Place 5 frozen bananas in a large sieve or strainer over a large bowl and allow to thaw. Catch any liquid, place in a small saucepan, and reduce to ¼ cup. After the bananas have thawed and drained, tip them out into the bowl and mash them with a fork. Pour in the reduced banana liquid. Set aside. In the same saucepan, melt 8 tablespoons of butter and cool slightly.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or smear with a bit of butter and line pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

After the butter has cooled, whisk it into the banana mixture. Then, one at a time, whisk in eggs, then brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt.

Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined. Gently fold in ½ cup toasted almonds, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Sprinkle with additional slivered almonds if desired.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 15 minutes.

Remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Let cool completely and then wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Enjoy now, within 3 days or wrap again and store in the freezer for 1 month.