Golden Banana Bread Loaf
A moist, tender banana bread loaf made from very ripe bananas and brown sugar, baked until the top turns deep golden and cracked.
Overripe bananas pile up on the counter faster than anyone can eat them, and this loaf is where mine always go. Using melted butter instead of creaming softened butter is the shortcut that keeps the whole recipe to one bowl and one whisk. Slice it thick for breakfast or toast leftover slices with butter.
Ingredients
Method
Tap a number to mark a step donePreheat the oven to 350F and generously grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick baking spray.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt together thoroughly in a medium bowl and set the mixture aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together until combined, then whisk in the eggs one at a time.
Stir in the mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla extract, mixing just until the batter looks smooth and evenly combined.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no streaks of flour remain; do not overmix the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top evenly with a spatula before it goes into the oven.
Bake 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top turns deep golden brown.
Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack to cool completely before slicing it.
Kitchen note
Use bananas with plenty of brown spots on the peel; the riper they are, the sweeter and more moist the finished loaf will be.
