Post by Sheila on Jun 8, 2011 13:13:36 GMT -5
Unsalted butter, for the pan
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 to 4 ripe bananas
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 to 11/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or masher into large chunks (you don't want it to be totally smooth -- the banana still should have texture). You should have 2 cups. Add the eggs, both sugars, the vanilla and oil, and beat until thick. Fold in the dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for one hour, or until the loaf has risen and a knife or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife or offset spatula around the edge and invert onto a rack or a plate. Peel off the parchment and insert again. Eat warm or at room temperature.
CARROT CAKE: Substitute 3 cups grated carrots for the banana and 1 cup chopped walnuts plus 1/2 cup raisins for the chocolate chips. Add 11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger to the dry ingredients.
PUMPKIN BREAD: Substitute 1 can (15 ounces) unsweetened pumpkin purée for the banana, and reduce the eggs to just one. Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, cloves and ginger to the dry ingredients. Omit chocolate chips, if desired.
ZUCCHINI BREAD: Substitute 11/2 cups shredded zucchini for the banana and add 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Use 11/2 cups chopped walnuts instead of the chocolate chips.
ORANGE LOAF: Cream 1/2 cup (1 stick) room-temperature butter with 1 cup granulated sugar (omit the brown sugar) and the grated zest of one orange; then beat in the eggs. Leave out the banana and the chocolate chips. In thirds, alternate adding the dry ingredients with 1/2 cup whole milk. Optional: Fold in 3/4 cup dried cherries.
APPLE BREAD: Substitute 1 cup applesauce for the mashed banana. Use 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Add 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Instead of chocolate chips, use 1 cup chopped pecans and two Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced. Sprinkle top with sugar or cinnamon-sugar before baking.
YOGURT CAKE: Reduce the oil to 1/3 cup, and substitute 3/4 cup plain whole-fat yogurt for the banana. Use all granulated sugar, and add 1 tablespoon rum in addition to the vanilla extract.
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 to 4 ripe bananas
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 to 11/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or masher into large chunks (you don't want it to be totally smooth -- the banana still should have texture). You should have 2 cups. Add the eggs, both sugars, the vanilla and oil, and beat until thick. Fold in the dry ingredients and stir until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for one hour, or until the loaf has risen and a knife or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a knife or offset spatula around the edge and invert onto a rack or a plate. Peel off the parchment and insert again. Eat warm or at room temperature.
CARROT CAKE: Substitute 3 cups grated carrots for the banana and 1 cup chopped walnuts plus 1/2 cup raisins for the chocolate chips. Add 11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger to the dry ingredients.
PUMPKIN BREAD: Substitute 1 can (15 ounces) unsweetened pumpkin purée for the banana, and reduce the eggs to just one. Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon each of ground nutmeg, cloves and ginger to the dry ingredients. Omit chocolate chips, if desired.
ZUCCHINI BREAD: Substitute 11/2 cups shredded zucchini for the banana and add 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Use 11/2 cups chopped walnuts instead of the chocolate chips.
ORANGE LOAF: Cream 1/2 cup (1 stick) room-temperature butter with 1 cup granulated sugar (omit the brown sugar) and the grated zest of one orange; then beat in the eggs. Leave out the banana and the chocolate chips. In thirds, alternate adding the dry ingredients with 1/2 cup whole milk. Optional: Fold in 3/4 cup dried cherries.
APPLE BREAD: Substitute 1 cup applesauce for the mashed banana. Use 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Add 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Instead of chocolate chips, use 1 cup chopped pecans and two Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced. Sprinkle top with sugar or cinnamon-sugar before baking.
YOGURT CAKE: Reduce the oil to 1/3 cup, and substitute 3/4 cup plain whole-fat yogurt for the banana. Use all granulated sugar, and add 1 tablespoon rum in addition to the vanilla extract.