Throw away all of your banana bread recipes, this one is a keeper.

If you’re a lover of banana bread, you are going to devour this recipe and cry tears of joy — it’s truly perfect. Banana bread is my boo. I love it and it loves me. We vibe so harmoniously when we’re in the same room. This stuff is so super moist and stuffed with maximum banana flavor, you’re going to die — deliciously.

The Ultimate Banana Bread

Trying to get amazing banana flavor into banana bread with optimal texture is a serious challenge. The more bananas you add, the more heavy and sodden your bread becomes, despite the actual banana flavor being there. Most recipes call for 2 to 3 bananas, because if you go higher than that, your bread will be entirely too moist and gummy. That just isn’t sexy in the least bit. So how do we fix this? Well, we’re replicating the whole “frozen banana” situation. When bananas are frozen then thawed, they release tons of liquid — delicious, tasty liquid! Well, we’re going to skip freezing bananas for a day and instead zap’em in the microwave to release their juices. We’re then left with tons of incredible banana juice that gets reduced down to a super concentrated syrup, almost like a makeshift banana extract — which gets thrown into the batter later.

Genius.

I must point out the importance of using super ripe bananas for this recipe. It’s imperative. The darker and more spotted your bananas are, the sweeter they will be and the more liquid they’ll release. I bought my bananas on Sunday and made banana bread the following Saturday. It was hell trying not to eat them, because I love bananas — especially the spotty brown ones…soooo sweet. But, I held it together, got myself some will-power and waited to make this delicious loaf of banana’y awesomeness. Don’t even try to make this with green or even yellow bananas, you guys. Seriously. Wait until they look like they’re decaying LOL! (you know what I mean ;) )

Are you ready for super intense and incredibly moist banana bread? Follow me…

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Six. Six ugly, yet super sweet bananas — ah ah ah

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Peel five of those babies and pop’em in a bowl, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap. Poke a bunch of vent holes and zap’em in the microwave for 5 minutes.

The Ultimate Banana Bread
After 5 minutes, this is what it looks like…murrrr

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Strain the bananas for 15 minutes, you should have about 1/2 cup to 3/4 (or more) of yummy, sweet banana liquid.

The Ultimate Banana Bread
If using walnuts, toast them in the oven for a few minutes — keep an eye on these so they don’t burn. It usually takes mine about 3 to 5 minutes in a 350 degree oven. If you don’t like nuts, leave’em out!

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Reduce the banana liquid down to 1/4 cup. Stir frequently and watch this carefully because it can boil over. It should take about 5 to 10 minutes to reduce, depending on how much liquid you have. Be patient, it’s worth it.

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Almost there…

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Finally got 1/4 cup. Add this to the bananas you strained earlier.

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Mash the bananas and concentrated banana liquid with a large fork or potato masher to incorporate and break up any large pieces of banana. Mixture should be mostly smooth.

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Add the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and everything is combined.

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Either pour your dry into your wet, or your wet into your dry, and GENTLY fold the mixture on top of itself until combined. Please avoid over-mixing or you’ll end up with tough banana bread and we don’t want that.

The Ultimate Banana Bread
95% mixed…

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Add your nuts, if you’re using them — also folding them in…just a few turns to incorporate. Don’t worry if you have tiny pockets of flour, just make sure all the huge streaks are gone. My mixture pictured above is an example of too many large pockets of batter, but it’s nothing 2 or 3 folds won’t cure. Pour the mixture into a greased loaf pan.

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Slice your sixth banana on the diagonal.

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Shingle the slices of banana on both sides of the banana bread, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar all over the top of the bananas and loaf. This candies the bananas and gives them a great sweet flavor.

The Ultimate Banana Bread
About an hour or so later, thar she blows!

The Ultimate Banana Bread
Incredibly delicious, intense banana flavor. You’re going to love it.

The Ultimate Banana Bread

The Ultimate Banana Bread

This is damn good banana bread. Damn. Good. The best I’ve ever had.

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Ultimate Banana Bread

Yield: One 9-inch loaf

Ultimate Banana Bread

Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients

  • 1¾ cups (8¾ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 6 large very ripe bananas (about 2¼ pounds), peeled (see note)
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup (5¼ ounces) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.

2. Place 5 bananas in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife. Microwave on high power until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer placed over medium bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes (you should have ½ to ¾ cup liquid).

3. Transfer liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 to 10 minutes (depending on how much liquid was released). Remove pan from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with potato masher until fairly smooth. Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla.

4. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in walnuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Slice remaining banana diagonally into ¼-inch-thick slices. Shingle banana slices on top of either side of loaf, leaving 1½-inch-wide space down center to ensure even rise. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over loaf.

5. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Be sure to use very ripe, heavily speckled (or even black) bananas in this recipe. This recipe can be made using 5 thawed frozen bananas; since they release a lot of liquid naturally, they can bypass the microwaving in step 2 and go directly into the fine-mesh strainer. Do not use a thawed frozen banana in step 4; it will be too soft to slice. Instead, simply sprinkle the top of the loaf with sugar. The preferred loaf pan measures 8½ by 4½ inches; if you use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness five minutes earlier than advised in the recipe. The texture is best when the loaf is eaten fresh, but it can be stored (cool completely first), covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.

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