Mom's Banana Bread

This delicious and simple banana bread is the timeless treat you want with your morning coffee, your afternoon tea, or just after dinner. It has a rightful place on my food blog because my mother made this recipe nearly every other Sunday growing up. There would always be a fresh loaf of banana bread in the house – her version has the golden raisins which is how I make it to this day. And it even freezes well! That’s right, throw a fresh (cooled) loaf in some plastic wrap and put it in the freezer to enjoy a few weeks later. That is, assuming there is any left. 😉

what you need

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

2 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

3-4 ripe bananas, depending on size

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

(optional) 3/4 tablespoon orange zest

(optional) 3/4 cup golden raisins

(optional) 3/4 cup walnuts

(optional) 3/4 cup chocolate chips of choice

how to make it

Heat oven to 350.

Cream butter and sugar using food processor or hand mixer. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat for another 30 seconds. Add bananas, mash them up, and stir until well combined. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange peel, and stir. Stir in flour and raisins/nuts/chips (if using) until just combined.

Spoon into loaf pan, mini loaf pans, standard muffin tins, or mini muffin tins. Cooking times follow.

Standard loaf: 35-40 minutes (makes 1)

Mini loaves: 35-40 minutes (makes 4)

Standard muffins: 35-40 minutes (makes 12)

Mini muffins: 20-25 minutes (makes ~30)

Enjoy with tea or coffee!