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banana bread: cake disquise

post #1 of 2
7/17/11 at 10:01pm
Thread Starter 

Alright, I have a bunch of ripe bananas that I hate to see go waste.  So, I made a loaf of banana bread using a recipe that calls for veg. oil.  It was moist but not much flavor.  The second time I used a recipe that uses butter.  It was flavorful but no moist..I did put coconut and choc chips.  Anyone knows if a banana bread should be made like a cake?  oil vs butter vs shortening?  I really would like a simple recipe that is flavorful and not dry.  Should I just use veg oil since readily on hand.  Is it the amount of eggs or bananas ripeness that is the secret to preventing a dry banana bread?  1, 2, or 4 eggs?

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post #2 of 2
7/18/11 at 1:13am

I make one from the Fanny Farmer cookbook and it's my favorite. Moist, surprisingly, wihtout any fats.  It's not a "fat free cake" (that is, one that tries to imitate a cake with fats, but for dietary reasons eliminates the fat) but it's just that way. 

 

Keep in mind that oil gives cake an illusion of moistness but it really ends up feeling greasy on the tongue and actually i think i remember reading that "moistness" is as much from the sugar and the water-keeping properties of the ingredients (bananas, to wit) as the fats. 

Eggs are deceiving.  Think of a hard boiled egg.  Is it moist??? no!  dry!!!  When the egg cooks it's not moist.  Keep that in mind.  Though the egg yolk does have fat, and sometimes i get a nicer texture eliminating one white and putting in an extra yolk (e.g. when a recipe calls for two eggs, i put one whole and two yolks) but that's not necessary in this recipe below. 


I've tried many others that have lots of additions making them seem like they'd be better, moister, etc. but this is my favorite and so simple. 

 

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (i use raisins instead) optional

 

preheat oven to 350.  Grease a loaf pan. 

Mix bananas and eggs in a large bowl. 

Stir in flour, sugar, salt and soda.  Add nuts and/or raisins and stir just to blend. 

Pour into pan and bake 1 hour. 

Remove from pan to rack

serve warm or cooled. 

 

Then, if you want a banana CAKE, you should try Rose Beranbaum's cake bible banana cake.  It's truly amazing. 

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