Banana Bread: Delicious with Some Surprise Ingredients

Welcome to 483rd Metamorphosis Monday!

Thank you so, so much for all the kinds words left in the comments of Thursday’s post! I was traveling all day on Thursday and was out of town over the weekend, so I haven’t had a chance to personally reply to everyone, but I’ll be working on that throughout the week.

I am so blessed by all the lovely dearhearts who stop in each day and want you to know I never take it for granted. As I’ve said before, YOU are the very best part of Between Naps On The Porch and I’m forever grateful for your friendship. I’m looking forward to sharing another 500 Tablescape Thursdays with you! We are just gettin’ warmed up around here! 🙂

 

Metamorphosis Monday

I have a delicious “Before and After” for this week’s Met Monday. My friend, Linda, is an excellent cook/baker and one of her specialties is Banana Bread. It’s a favorite with her friends and family who always put in their orders for a batch when they expect to see her. After hearing so much about her banana bread, I asked if she would share the recipe so I could share it with you. She graciously agreed and I can’t wait to make some soon.

Best Banana Bread Recipe

 

Here’s a list below of what you’ll need for this recipe. I was surprised by some of the ingredients and it’s increased my curiosity to try it.

For this banana bread, you’ll need the following:

1-1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Crisco or another shortening (do not use butter)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla (I just pour so it is probably more like 1 1/2 to 2 tsp)
3-4 bananas, very ripe, peeled and broken into pieces
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
1-2 tsp Cardamon – I just started adding Cardamon and I love the flavor. I will add 2 tsp next time as 1 tsp just doesn’t add enough flavor for me.
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup nuts – pecans or walnuts chopped
1/2 cup chopped dates – even if you don’t like dates, add them as they make a big difference in how good this bread is. It is more of a moisture thing than taste.
Pam or Crisco & flour to grease 4 mini loaf pans.

Banana Bread Recipe 01

 

In Linda’s words, here’s how you’ll make this delicious banana bread:

Start by creaming the sugar and Crisco together.

Banana Bread Recipe 02

 

Add eggs mixing thoroughly.  Next, add vanilla and mix.

Banana Bread Recipe 04

 

Then add bananas. Mix until incorporated, but still lumpy.

Banana Bread Recipe 05

 

Add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well, but gently.

Add Cardamon (optional) and mix.

Banana Bread Recipe 06

 

Mix vinegar with milk then add to batter and mix.

Banana Bread Recipe 07

 

Banana Bread Recipe 08

 

Banana Bread Recipe 09

 

Fold in dates and nuts.

Banana Bread Recipe 10

 

Pour into four (4) greased/floured mini loaf pans and bake 35-45 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Test for doneness at 35 minutes by using a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the bread. If a lot of gooey bread appears on the pick, bake for an additional 10 minutes. If just a little bread sticks to the pick, it’s done.

Banana Bread Recipe 12

 

Place pans on racks to cool for 15 minutes, then remove bread from pans and finish cooling bread on racks.

Linda said, “I wrap my bread in foil and it will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator, or for a week on the counter.  It is great served warm with butter or cream cheese!  YUM!

This bread freezes well. I make and give away a lot of this banana bread at Christmas. Everyone loves it and it is really easy to make.”

Best Banana Bread Recipe

 

Thanks so much to Linda for sharing this wonderful recipe! I can’t wait to make some very soon!

Looking forward to all the great Before and Afters posted for this Met Monday!

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Metamorphosis Monday

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Comments

  1. Sounds delicious. I am stuck in a rut and always use Helen Corbits recipe from a zillion years ago. She was a food editor wayyyyyy back when for the Dallas Morning News and I was given her cookbook when I got married and that is almost the only recipe I use for banana bread, but I am sure this one is also wonderful. I guess I cook now mostly by the seat of my pants and whatever ingrediants sound wonderful. Gramma Hattie used to do that and trying to get her recipe for anything was impossible and now I find I do the same thing. Alas, I don’t bake much now that the children are grown. I made up a recipe for blueberry muffins using tidbits of this and that like what was left of a box of bran cereal and whatever else I put in it……I never write it down so dang if I know how I made it…..lol. It was to die for but I will take that recipe to my grave!

  2. Ann Friend Seigman says

    Susan, I have missed you so much! I have been unusually busy and have not had time to stop by and I have a lot of posts to catch up on! (And they all look so interesting).

    The banana bread looks delicious! I love banana bread and hope to try out the recipe. I wish that I could make it for my family, but one of my granddaughters is allergic to bananas and one of my grandsons is allergic to nuts. There are so many good deserts that look so tempting to make for my grandchildren, but allergies have been a problem. I do have some deserts that I make that are their favorites though. Thank you Linda, for sharing the recipe, you are very thoughtful. Maybe I will make it for my Ladies Bible Study group. I know that they would love it too!

  3. Is the vinegar in milk a substitute for buttermilk? Does it matter if imitation vanilla is used or real vanilla?

    • LINDA PAGE says

      Imitation vanilla is fine. You can use buttermilk but it does change the flavor some. I prefer the vinegar and milk….plus I always have that on hand and have to buy buttermilk specifically.

    • @Marge: Actually the combination of milk and vinegar is a quick substitute use when a recipe calls for ‘sour/curdled’ milk. Secondly, imitation vanilla extract is not as potent as pure (real) vanilla so you may wish to increase its amount to taste. -Brenda-

    • My recipe calls for buttermilk, providing the substitute of adding vinegar to milk as a substitute. That’s how I’ve always made it. Cardamon and dates are new ingredients for me!

  4. Looks absolutely scrumptious!
    I have my “old faithful” recipe in which my
    family and I have grown bored with.
    This will be our new major hit…I just know!
    Thank-you for sharing it!
    Take care!

  5. Thanks so much for hosting each week!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

  6. Thank you Susan! The banana bread sounds delicious!

  7. What I wouldn’t give for one of those loaves right now! My mother used to make the best banana bread, and my attempts have been less than stellar. I’ll have to try this recipe.
    Thank you, Susan, for hosting us and starting our week off on a good foot. I’m back from a vacation myself, and it’s a little hard adjusting to the normal routine, and I still have lots of tablescapes to go back and see from last week’s guests!
    Have a great week.

  8. Linda, that looks so good, and you really are gracious to share a favorite recipe. Thanks much.

  9. Babs Yeida says

    We so can’t wait to try this recipe, thank you sharing. May you have a wonderful week ahead full of adventures, food, family and friends.

  10. Sonja E. Enright says

    Susan: This sounds so different and anxious to try it. Looks even better. I am copying the recipe and just noticed that on the last photo it shows dates and nuts being added but there seems to be a third brown ingredient along side. Looks like it could be cinnamon sugar but not in original ingredient section. Did I miss something, or is this just residue from the dates and nuts.
    Thank you so much for all your wonderful posts. I just love them. I always look forward to them

    • LINDA PAGE says

      It is the Cardamon which I have started adding to my recipe after tasting some banana nut bread in South Lake Tahoe last summer at Alpina Cafe and Bake Shop. The Cardamon is optional but I really like it. In fact, I added it to oatmeal raisin cookies just last night. YUM!!

  11. The banana bread sounds delocious and I am curious too about the different ingredients! Thanks so much for the party!

  12. Mmmm… the banana bread sounds yummy! I have a good recipe, but this one may just be better! I’m wondering why Crisco and not butter, though. Crisco is so… not healthy.

    • I have a few recipes that specifically mention not using butter but to use shortening. I’m not exactly sure why, but I do remember it makes a big difference for a lot of recipes. I think it’s also recommended when making bisquits. Rhonda, Google “shortening vs butter when baking,” I saw several articles that mention why shortening is often better.

    • LINDA PAGE says

      If you use butter in this recipe, the bread just never completely gels. It stays too mushy and you end up baking it to death trying to get it not to be so gooey. I prefer Crisco even though I have used store brands of shortening.

  13. Snowflake281 says

    Looks really yummy delicious. I like the addition of the dates for some texture. But what is up with the price of vanilla? The last time I purchased a bottle of vanilla was at Costco and I just grabbed it off the shelf without looking at the price. When I got home and reviewed the receipt, I couldn’t believe the price and had thought I was overcharged. I returned to Costco and double-checked the price maybe a week later and to my shock, the price had already increased! I’ll have to start picking and choosing my recipes carefully now. 🙁

    • Snowflake, same here. I bought the big bottle as well because the little bottles were sooo expensive. Vanilla lasts a long time!

    • LINDA PAGE says

      Vanilla is outrageous but can’t bake without it. It will last a very long time which helps. I buy the biggest bottle I can find to get the cheapest price per ounce, then I pour some into a smaller bottle to use all the time and just use the big bottle for refill. I used to buy mexican vanilla (came from Mexico) at a local garden shop owned by Hispanics and they brought this vanilla back from Mexico twice a year. It was the best and very reasonable. Hard to find now.

    • I always buy vanilla when we go to the Dominican Republic, or ask our friends/family to bring us some when they go – it’s very good and less expensive than the one sold here – I just looked on Amazon and incredibly they have it! What could you possibly not find on Amazon nowadays!! It’s sweeter and has a little bit of a cinnamon background taste, but I find it delicious and it’s sold in these huge plastic bottles – give it a try!

  14. Marlene Stephenson says

    Thanks for this recipe,sounds different so will for sure try it.Have a great day.

  15. Oh this brings back memories. When I was 7 or 8 (60+ year ago) we had a child’s cookbook. A paperback which I still have and the recipe was Nancy’s Nut Bread. I just added bananas to it. Always turned out great and tastes so good with butter. This recipe has a lot of different ingredients added and I think I’m going to give it a try. Really just need to pick up dates and the spice. Haven’t baked in a long time and it would feel good to get back to creating fresh cookies and breads. Plus, buying bananas at Costco and Sam’s and only two to eat them, well there seems to always be a few sitting around!

  16. Bunny Rogers says

    I have had that recipe before and it is one of my favorites. I would not buy cardamon for much of anything else so I discovered equal parts of cinnamon and nutmeg are a good substitute.

  17. Hmmm…I think, banana bread was the first recipe I ever made….the ONLY way I’ll eat a banana…franki

  18. LINDA PAGE says

    Thanks to everyone for liking the banana bread recipe. This originally came from a lady who lived across the street from me when I was a teenager and I babysat her children. She then moved back to Florence, KY so I don’t see her often. But on one of her visits to Texas, she was at her youngest son’s house and she made this wonderful banana bread and I was hooked! I have been using this recipe for at least 25 years. It is my main Christmas gift to friends every year. Thanks, Joyce McCord, for sharing this great recipe with me. Thanks, Susan, for let me share it with everyone!

  19. Thank you for hosting the Met Monday party, Susan! This banana bread recipe looks delish!! You can never have too many recipes for banana bread, right? I just tried a new one here a few weeks ago, and we really liked it. It’s such a great way to use overripe bananas and they’re good for us, too.

    Hope you have a great week. 🙂

    Hugs,

    Denise

  20. Susan, banana bread is a favorite, so I’ll plan to make this recipe. Thanks.
    I didn’t have an opportunity to get a post together for last weeks’ 500th Tablescape Thursday celebration. I definitely didn’t want to let this milestone pass, so I have my post ready to share this coming Thursday. Afterall, you and Tablescape Thursday are the reason I began blogging in 2009. Don’t know if you recall, but you were extremely helpful in getting me started, teaching me the ins and outs of creating a post. I’m forever grateful!
    Again, congratulations on 500 Tablescape Thursdays.

  21. Cyndi Raines says

    This recipe sounds delish and I like the idea of adding dates. I prefer zucchini bread over banana bread, but this sounds really good so I will give it a try. Thank you for sharing, very kind and generous of you. Susan, did you come north? We are FINALLY getting some spring weather and my daffodils and hyacynths are blooming. Yea!

  22. This recipe really sounds scrumptious and shall definitely try it. (Thank you Linda.) Never would have thought of adding dates to it even though I always add ‘Crushed’ Pineapple to Carrot Cake. -Brenda-
    P.S.: There was a time I use to make all my own bread and dinner rolls. I had a friend who use to order unbleached flourS (for nutrition value) direct from the Mill and we would split on the cost of it. Can’t recall the size of the bags but they were humongous …. .

  23. ELIZABETH L GLASS says

    Thank you so much! I can’t wait to try this!
    Linda,do you ever make this in a regular size loaf pan? Again thank you to both of you! I leanr SO MUCH from this site! Susan—-my worms came in no problem! My birds thank you! xo,Elizabeth

  24. Donna zoltanski says

    Looks delicious. Love cardamon,,,will try it soon. Thanks for sharing.

  25. Banana Bread is my favorite! I prefer it cold so when I make it we always place it in the fridge till the next day.

  26. I’m back from Spain so I just saw this great new ingredients Banana Bread Susan.
    Thank you for sharing.
    See you tomorrow on the show.
    Fabby

  27. Michelle Harris says

    My mother made THE best banana bread and date nut bread and they were both made during the holidays. But I’ve never had dates in my banana bread, so I’m giving this a try. And cardamon will be an interesting addition. Thanks for sharing!

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