A toddler favorite, family favorite, and tea time classic, Classic Banana Tea Bread is the perfect way to use up old, ripe bananas. It is an easy quick bread that doesn't take long to whip up. Great served with cream cheese, butter, or just by itself.
1/2cupbutter(I have used both salted and unsalted, and I prefer salted for this recipe)
1cupgranulated sugar
2eggs
1tspvanilla extract
1/4cupbuttermilk(see note below for homemade buttermilk substitute)
1 1/2cupsall-purpose flour
1tspbaking soda
1/2tspsalt
1cupmashed bananas
1/2cupchopped nuts, such as walnuts(optional—I have never added these, so let me know how this addition is, if you try it)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit (180° Celsius).
Grease two small bread loaf pans. (You can also use a large loaf pan, but double the recipe or the bread will be dry.)
Mix the butter and sugar with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
Add in the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix until well-combined.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt to ensure that the baking soda has no lumps and distributes evenly in the batter.
Mix in the mashed bananas. (If you don’t pre-mash the bananas, that is fine. I usually don’t. Just make sure to mix them into the batter thoroughly.) If adding nuts, fold in the nuts in this step.
Divide the batter evenly into the two greased loaf pans. Place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes. Do not overbake. I like to pull the loaves out when they are almost set (still slightly jiggly when you shake them gently) to ensure that they are very moist.
Allow to cool and set before slicing.
Enjoy with cream cheese, butter, or Nutella or just eat the bread by its scrumptious self.
Notes
Homemade buttermilk substitute: Pour 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar) into a 1-cup measuring cup and fill the remainder of the cup with milk. Allow to sit for a few minutes or use immediately.This is the best-tasting batter EVER--even better than cookie dough, in my opinion. As one of my good friends reminds me, I risk getting salmonella from the raw eggs, but the taste is so worth it to me.